diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 9ed68b3..8a47a57 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ security:
 	Turn off nested signal handler invocations
 	Thanks to Peter Lobsinger for reporting and explaining this issue.
 
+new features:
+	OpenSSL addresses set couple of environment variables from values in
+	peer certificate, e.g.: 
+	SOCAT_OPENSSL_X509_SUBJECT, SOCAT_OPENSSL_X509_ISSUER,
+	SOCAT_OPENSSL_X509_COMMONNAME, 
+	SOCAT_OPENSSL_X509V3_SUBJECTALTNAME_DNS
+	Tests: ENV_OPENSSL_{CLIENT,SERVER}_X509_*
+
 corrections:
 	Bind with ABSTRACT commands used non-abstract namespace (Linux).
 	Test: ABSTRACT_BIND
diff --git a/sysutils.c b/sysutils.c
index 6ef2fc8..b3badcb 100644
--- a/sysutils.c
+++ b/sysutils.c
@@ -726,6 +726,42 @@ int xiosetenv2(const char *varname, const char *varname2, const char *value,
 #  undef XIO_ENVNAMELEN
 }
 
+int xiosetenv3(const char *varname, const char *varname2, const char *varname3,
+	       const char *value,
+	       int overwrite) {
+#  define XIO_ENVNAMELEN 256
+   const char *progname;
+   char envname[XIO_ENVNAMELEN];
+   size_t i, l;
+
+   progname = diag_get_string('p');
+   envname[0] = '\0'; strncat(envname, progname, XIO_ENVNAMELEN-1);
+   l = strlen(progname);
+   strncat(envname+l, "_", XIO_ENVNAMELEN-l-1);
+   l += 1;
+   strncat(envname+l, varname, XIO_ENVNAMELEN-l-1);
+   l += strlen(envname+l);
+   strncat(envname+l, "_", XIO_ENVNAMELEN-l-1);
+   l += 1;
+   strncat(envname+l, varname2, XIO_ENVNAMELEN-l-1);
+   l += strlen(envname+l);
+   strncat(envname+l, "_", XIO_ENVNAMELEN-l-1);
+   l += 1;
+   strncat(envname+l, varname3, XIO_ENVNAMELEN-l-1);
+   l += strlen(envname+l);
+   for (i = 0; i < l; ++i)  envname[i] = toupper(envname[i]);
+   if (Setenv(envname, value, overwrite) < 0) {
+      Warn3("setenv(\"%s\", \"%s\", 1): %s",
+	    envname, value, strerror(errno));
+#if HAVE_UNSETENV
+      Unsetenv(envname);      /* dont want to have a wrong value */
+#endif
+      return -1;
+   }
+   return 0;
+#  undef XIO_ENVNAMELEN
+}
+
 
 /* like xiosetenv(), but uses an unsigned long value */
 int xiosetenvulong(const char *varname, unsigned long value, int overwrite) {
diff --git a/sysutils.h b/sysutils.h
index fda3175..2636bcb 100644
--- a/sysutils.h
+++ b/sysutils.h
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ extern int xiosetenv(const char *varname, const char *value, int overwrite);
 extern int
 xiosetenv2(const char *varname, const char *varname2, const char *value,
 	   int overwrite);
+extern int
+xiosetenv3(const char *varname, const char *varname2, const char *varname3,
+	   const char *value, int overwrite);
 extern int xiosetenvulong(const char *varname, unsigned long value,
 			  int overwrite);
 extern int xiosetenvushort(const char *varname, unsigned short value,
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index 1fd75db..c089d94 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ LOCALHOST6=[::1]
 PROTO=$((144+RANDOM/2048))
 PORT=12002
 SOURCEPORT=2002
+TESTCERT_CONF=testcert.conf
+TESTCERT_SUBJECT="/C=XY"
+TESTCERT_ISSUER="/C=XY"
 CAT=cat
 OD_C="od -c"
 # precision sleep; takes seconds with fractional part
@@ -2204,7 +2207,7 @@ gentestcert () {
     local name="$1"
     if [ -s $name.key -a -s $name.crt -a -s $name.pem ]; then return; fi
     openssl genrsa $OPENSSL_RAND -out $name.key 768 >/dev/null 2>&1
-    openssl req -new -config testcert.conf -key $name.key -x509 -out $name.crt -days 3653 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    openssl req -new -config $TESTCERT_CONF -key $name.key -x509 -out $name.crt -days 3653 >/dev/null 2>&1
     cat $name.key $name.crt >$name.pem
 }
 
@@ -2214,7 +2217,7 @@ gentestdsacert () {
     if [ -s $name.key -a -s $name.crt -a -s $name.pem ]; then return; fi
     openssl dsaparam -out $name-dsa.pem 512 >/dev/null 2>&1
     openssl dhparam -dsaparam -out $name-dh.pem 512 >/dev/null 2>&1
-    openssl req -newkey dsa:$name-dsa.pem -keyout $name.key -nodes -x509 -config testcert.conf -out $name.crt -days 3653 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    openssl req -newkey dsa:$name-dsa.pem -keyout $name.key -nodes -x509 -config $TESTCERT_CONF -out $name.crt -days 3653 >/dev/null 2>&1
     cat $name-dsa.pem $name-dh.pem $name.key $name.crt >$name.pem
 }
 
@@ -11448,6 +11451,98 @@ PORT=$((PORT+1))
 N=$((N+1))
 
 
+#set -xv
+# test: OPENSSL sets of environment variables with important values of peer certificate
+unset SOCAT_OPENSSL_X509_SUBJECT SOCAT_OPENSSL_X509_ISSUER
+while read SSLDIST MODE MODULE FIELD VALUE TESTADDRESS PEERADDRESS; do
+if [ -z "$SSLDIST" ] || [[ "$SSLDIST" == \#* ]]; then continue; fi
+#
+test_proto="$(echo "$KEYW" |tr A-Z a-z)"
+NAME="ENV_${SSLDIST}_${MODE}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}"
+case "$TESTS" in
+*%functions%*|*%ip4%*|*%ipapp%*|*%tcp%*|*%$SSLDIST%*|*%envvar%*|*%$NAME%*)
+TEST="$NAME: $SSLDIST generates environment variable SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD} with correct value"
+# have a server accepting a connection and invoking some shell code. The shell
+# code extracts and prints the SOCAT related environment vars.
+# outside code then checks if the environment contains the variables correctly
+# describing the desired field.
+if ! eval $NUMCOND; then :;
+elif ! feat=$(testaddrs $FEAT); then
+    $PRINTF "test $F_n $TEST... ${YELLOW}$(echo "$feat" |tr a-z A-Z) not available${NORMAL}\n" $N
+    numCANT=$((numCANT+1))
+else
+tf="$td/test$N.stdout"
+te="$td/test$N.stderr"
+gentestcert testsrv
+gentestcert testcli
+#CMD0="$SOCAT $opts -u ${SSLDIST}-LISTEN:$PORT,bind=$LOCALHOST,cert=testsrv.pem,cafile=testcli.crt,verify=1 system:\"echo SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}=\\\$SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}; sleep 1\""
+test_proto=tcp4
+case "$MODE" in
+    SERVER)
+	CMD0="$SOCAT $opts -u $TESTADDRESS system:\"echo SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}=\\\$SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}; sleep 1\""
+	CMD1="$SOCAT $opts -u /dev/null $PEERADDRESS"
+	printf "test $F_n $TEST... " $N
+	eval "$CMD0 2>\"${te}0\" >\"$tf\" &"
+	pid0=$!
+	wait${test_proto}port $PORT 1
+	$CMD1 2>"${te}1"
+	rc1=$?
+	waitfile "$tf" 2
+	kill $pid0 2>/dev/null; wait
+	;;
+    CLIENT)
+	CMD0="$SOCAT $opts -u /dev/null $PEERADDRESS"
+	CMD1="$SOCAT $opts -u $TESTADDRESS system:\"echo SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}=\\\$SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD}; sleep 1\""
+	printf "test $F_n $TEST... " $N
+	$CMD0 2>"${te}0" &
+	pid0=$!
+	wait${test_proto}port $PORT 1
+	eval "$CMD1 2>\"${te}1\" >\"$tf\""
+	rc1=$?
+	waitfile "$tf" 2
+	kill $pid0 2>/dev/null; wait
+	;;
+esac
+if [ $rc1 != 0 ]; then
+    $PRINTF "$NO_RESULT (client failed):\n"
+    echo "$CMD0 &"
+    cat "${te}0"
+    echo "$CMD1"
+    cat "${te}1"
+    numCANT=$((numCANT+1))
+elif [ "$(grep SOCAT_${SSLDIST}_${MODULE}_${FIELD} "${tf}" |sed -e 's/^[^=]*=//' |sed -e "s/[\"']//g")" = "$VALUE" ]; then
+    $PRINTF "$OK\n"
+    if [ "$debug" ]; then
+	echo "$CMD0 &"
+	cat "${te}0"
+	echo "$CMD1"
+	cat "${te}1"
+    fi
+    numOK=$((numOK+1))
+else
+    $PRINTF "$FAILED\n"
+    echo "$CMD0 &"
+    cat "${te}0"
+    echo "$CMD1"
+    cat "${te}1"
+    numFAIL=$((numFAIL+1))
+    listFAIL="$listFAIL $N"
+fi
+fi # NUMCOND, feats
+ ;;
+esac
+N=$((N+1))
+#set +xv
+#
+done <<<"
+OPENSSL SERVER X509 SUBJECT $TESTCERT_SUBJECT OPENSSL-LISTEN:$PORT,so-reuseaddr,bind=$LOCALHOST,cert=testsrv.pem,cafile=testcli.crt,verify=1 OPENSSL-CONNECT:$LOCALHOST:$PORT,cert=testcli.pem,cafile=testsrv.crt,verify=1
+OPENSSL SERVER X509 ISSUER  $TESTCERT_ISSUER  OPENSSL-LISTEN:$PORT,so-reuseaddr,bind=$LOCALHOST,cert=testsrv.pem,cafile=testcli.crt,verify=1 OPENSSL-CONNECT:$LOCALHOST:$PORT,cert=testcli.pem,cafile=testsrv.crt,verify=1
+OPENSSL CLIENT X509 SUBJECT $TESTCERT_SUBJECT OPENSSL-CONNECT:$LOCALHOST:$PORT,cert=testcli.pem,cafile=testsrv.crt,verify=1 OPENSSL-LISTEN:$PORT,so-reuseaddr,bind=$LOCALHOST,cert=testsrv.pem,cafile=testcli.crt,verify=1
+OPENSSL CLIENT X509 ISSUER  $TESTCERT_ISSUER  OPENSSL-CONNECT:$LOCALHOST:$PORT,cert=testcli.pem,cafile=testsrv.crt,verify=1 OPENSSL-LISTEN:$PORT,so-reuseaddr,bind=$LOCALHOST,cert=testsrv.pem,cafile=testcli.crt,verify=1
+"
+set +xv
+
+
 ###############################################################################
 # tests: option umask with "passive" NAMED group addresses
 while read addr fileopt addropts proto diropt ADDR2; do
diff --git a/xio-openssl.c b/xio-openssl.c
index 66d9c7d..8079d6e 100644
--- a/xio-openssl.c
+++ b/xio-openssl.c
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ int _xioopen_openssl_listen(struct single *xfd,
 		    ERR_lib_error_string(err), ERR_func_error_string(err),
 		    ERR_reason_error_string(err));
 	    }
-	    /* Msg1(level, "SSL_connect(): %s", ERR_error_string(e, buf));*/
+	    /* Msg1(level, "SSL_accept(): %s", ERR_error_string(e, buf));*/
 	 }
 	 break;
       case SSL_ERROR_SSL:
@@ -1042,22 +1042,59 @@ static const char *openssl_verify_messages[] = {
    /* 50 */ "application verification failure",
 } ;
 
+static int openssl_extract_cert_info(const char *field, X509_NAME *name) {
+   int n, i;
+   {
+      BIO *bio = BIO_new(BIO_s_mem());
+      char *buf = NULL, *str;
+      size_t len;
+      X509_NAME_print_ex(bio, name, 0, XN_FLAG_ONELINE&~ASN1_STRFLGS_ESC_MSB);	/* rc not documented */
+      len = BIO_get_mem_data (bio, &buf);
+      if ((str = Malloc(len+1)) == NULL) {
+	 BIO_free(bio);
+	 return -1;
+      }
+      str[len] = '\0';
+      Info2("SSL peer cert %s: \"%s\"", field, buf);
+      xiosetenv2("OPENSSL_X509", field, buf, 1);
+      free(str);
+      BIO_free(bio);
+   }
+   n = X509_NAME_entry_count(name);
+   for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
+      X509_NAME_ENTRY *entry;
+      char *text;
+      ASN1_STRING *data;
+      ASN1_OBJECT *obj;
+      int nid;
+      entry = X509_NAME_get_entry(name, i);
+      data = X509_NAME_ENTRY_get_data(entry);
+      obj  = X509_NAME_ENTRY_get_object(entry);
+      nid  = OBJ_obj2nid(obj);
+      text = (char *)ASN1_STRING_data(data);
+      Debug3("SSL peer cert %s entry: %s=\"%s\"", field, OBJ_nid2ln(nid), text);
+      xiosetenv3("OPENSSL_X509", field, OBJ_nid2ln(nid), text, 0);
+   }
+   return 0;
+}
+
 static int openssl_handle_peer_certificate(struct single *xfd,
 					   bool opt_ver, int level) {
    X509 *peer_cert;
-   char *str;
-   char buff[2048];	/* hold peer certificate */
+   /*ASN1_TIME not_before, not_after;*/
    int status;
 
    /* SSL_CTX_add_extra_chain_cert
       SSL_get_verify_result
    */
    if ((peer_cert = SSL_get_peer_certificate(xfd->para.openssl.ssl)) != NULL) {
-      Debug("peer certificate:");
-      if ((str = X509_NAME_oneline(X509_get_subject_name(peer_cert), buff, sizeof(buff))) != NULL)
-	 Debug1("\tsubject: %s", str);  /*free (str); SIGSEGV*/
-      if ((str = X509_NAME_oneline(X509_get_issuer_name(peer_cert), buff, sizeof(buff))) != NULL)
-	 Debug1("\tissuer: %s", str);  /*free (str); SIGSEGV*/
+      X509_NAME *name;
+      if ((name = X509_get_subject_name(peer_cert)) != NULL)
+	 openssl_extract_cert_info("subject", name);
+      if ((name = X509_get_issuer_name(peer_cert)) != NULL)
+	 openssl_extract_cert_info("issuer", name);
+      /* I'd like to provide dates too; see
+	 http://markmail.org/message/yi4vspp7aeu3xwtu#query:+page:1+mid:jhnl4wklif3pgzqf+state:results */
    }
 
    if (peer_cert) {
@@ -1192,6 +1229,7 @@ ssize_t xioread_openssl(struct single *pipe, void *buff, size_t bufsiz) {
       case SSL_ERROR_NONE:
 	 /* this is not an error, but I dare not continue for security reasons*/
 	 Error("ok");
+	 break;
       case SSL_ERROR_ZERO_RETURN:
 	 Error("connection closed by peer");
 	 break;