diff --git a/src/qt/paymentrequestplus.cpp b/src/qt/paymentrequestplus.cpp
index 35846bc15..39171c89e 100644
--- a/src/qt/paymentrequestplus.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/paymentrequestplus.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 #include "paymentrequestplus.h"
 
+#include "util.h"
+
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 #include <openssl/x509.h>
@@ -150,7 +152,13 @@ bool PaymentRequestPlus::getMerchant(X509_STORE* certStore, QString& merchant) c
         int result = X509_verify_cert(store_ctx);
         if (result != 1) {
             int error = X509_STORE_CTX_get_error(store_ctx);
-            throw SSLVerifyError(X509_verify_cert_error_string(error));
+            // For testing payment requests, we allow self signed root certs!
+            // This option is just shown in the UI options, if -help-debug is enabled.
+            if (!(error == X509_V_ERR_DEPTH_ZERO_SELF_SIGNED_CERT && GetBoolArg("-allowselfsignedrootcertificates", false))) {
+                throw SSLVerifyError(X509_verify_cert_error_string(error));
+            } else {
+               qDebug() << "PaymentRequestPlus::getMerchant: Allowing self signed root certificate, because -allowselfsignedrootcertificates is true.";
+            }
         }
         X509_NAME *certname = X509_get_subject_name(signing_cert);
 
diff --git a/src/qt/utilitydialog.cpp b/src/qt/utilitydialog.cpp
index 9ee408179..1e1583fb1 100644
--- a/src/qt/utilitydialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/utilitydialog.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "clientversion.h"
 #include "init.h"
+#include "util.h"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
@@ -108,6 +109,12 @@ HelpMessageDialog::HelpMessageDialog(QWidget *parent, bool about) :
         cursor.movePosition(QTextCursor::NextRow);
         cursor.insertText(tr("UI options") + ":", bold);
         cursor.movePosition(QTextCursor::NextRow);
+        if (GetBoolArg("-help-debug", false)) {
+            cursor.insertText("-allowselfsignedrootcertificates");
+            cursor.movePosition(QTextCursor::NextCell);
+            cursor.insertText(tr("Allow self signed root certificates (default: 0)"));
+            cursor.movePosition(QTextCursor::NextCell);
+        }
         cursor.insertText("-choosedatadir");
         cursor.movePosition(QTextCursor::NextCell);
         cursor.insertText(tr("Choose data directory on startup (default: 0)"));