diff --git a/include/cassandra.h b/include/cassandra.h
index fed4f48ee..808150e8d 100644
--- a/include/cassandra.h
+++ b/include/cassandra.h
@@ -4687,6 +4687,18 @@ cass_ssl_set_private_key_n(CassSsl* ssl,
                            const char* password,
                            size_t password_length);
 
+/**
+ * Configures the context to use the default directories
+ * for finding certification authority certificates.
+ *
+ * @public @memberof CassSsl
+ *
+ * @param[in] ssl
+ * @return CASS_OK if successful, otherwise an error occurred
+ */
+CASS_EXPORT CassError
+cass_ssl_set_default_verify_paths(CassSsl* ssl);
+
 /***********************************************************************************
  *
  * Authenticator
diff --git a/src/ssl.cpp b/src/ssl.cpp
index 679a73429..4e84d0f42 100644
--- a/src/ssl.cpp
+++ b/src/ssl.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ CassError cass_ssl_set_private_key_n(CassSsl* ssl, const char* key, size_t key_l
   return ssl->set_private_key(key, key_length, password, password_length);
 }
 
+CassError cass_ssl_set_default_verify_paths(CassSsl* ssl) {
+  return ssl->set_default_verify_paths();
+}
+
 } // extern "C"
 
 template <class T>
diff --git a/src/ssl.hpp b/src/ssl.hpp
index 495aa7357..75476a6e1 100644
--- a/src/ssl.hpp
+++ b/src/ssl.hpp
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ class SslContext : public RefCounted<SslContext> {
   virtual CassError set_cert(const char* cert, size_t cert_length) = 0;
   virtual CassError set_private_key(const char* key, size_t key_length, const char* password,
                                     size_t password_length) = 0;
+  virtual CassError set_default_verify_paths() = 0;
 
 protected:
   int verify_flags_;
diff --git a/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.cpp b/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.cpp
index ff539211d..2348eeaf6 100644
--- a/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.cpp
@@ -44,4 +44,8 @@ CassError NoSslContext::set_private_key(const char* key, size_t key_length, cons
   return CASS_ERROR_LIB_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
 }
 
+CassError NoSslContext::set_default_verify_paths() {
+  return CASS_ERROR_LIB_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
+}
+
 SslContext::Ptr NoSslContextFactory::create() { return SslContext::Ptr(new NoSslContext()); }
diff --git a/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.hpp b/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.hpp
index fabbb5634..7f8919e99 100644
--- a/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.hpp
+++ b/src/ssl/ssl_no_impl.hpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class NoSslContext : public SslContext {
   virtual CassError set_cert(const char* cert, size_t cert_length);
   virtual CassError set_private_key(const char* key, size_t key_length, const char* password,
                                     size_t password_length);
+  virtual CassError set_default_verify_paths();
 };
 
 class NoSslContextFactory : public SslContextFactoryBase<NoSslContextFactory> {
diff --git a/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.cpp b/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.cpp
index 3b1124378..1785e9ef8 100644
--- a/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.cpp
@@ -599,6 +599,16 @@ CassError OpenSslContext::set_private_key(const char* key, size_t key_length, co
   return CASS_OK;
 }
 
+CassError OpenSslContext::set_default_verify_paths()
+{
+  int rc = SSL_CTX_set_default_verify_paths(ssl_ctx_);
+  if (!rc) {
+    ssl_log_errors("Unable to load default verification paths");
+    return CASS_ERROR_SSL_INVALID_CERT;
+  }
+  return CASS_OK;
+}
+
 SslContext::Ptr OpenSslContextFactory::create() { return SslContext::Ptr(new OpenSslContext()); }
 
 namespace openssl {
diff --git a/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.hpp b/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.hpp
index f347caaa8..73e4ce48f 100644
--- a/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.hpp
+++ b/src/ssl/ssl_openssl_impl.hpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ class OpenSslContext : public SslContext {
   virtual CassError set_cert(const char* cert, size_t cert_length);
   virtual CassError set_private_key(const char* key, size_t key_length, const char* password,
                                     size_t password_length);
+  virtual CassError set_default_verify_paths();
 
 private:
   SSL_CTX* ssl_ctx_;
diff --git a/tests/src/unit/tests/test_connection.cpp b/tests/src/unit/tests/test_connection.cpp
index 1f392faa1..1fc273488 100644
--- a/tests/src/unit/tests/test_connection.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/unit/tests/test_connection.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 #include "request_callback.hpp"
 #include "ssl.hpp"
 
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <fstream>
+
 #ifdef WIN32
 #undef STATUS_TIMEOUT
 #endif
@@ -30,6 +33,29 @@
 using namespace datastax::internal;
 using namespace datastax::internal::core;
 
+namespace {
+
+void setenv(const std::string& name, const std::string& value) {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  _putenv(const_cast<char*>(std::string(name + "=" + value).c_str()));
+#else
+  ::setenv(name.c_str(), value.c_str(), 1);
+#endif
+}
+
+String current_dir()
+{
+  char buffer[256];
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  _getcwd(buffer, 256);
+#else
+  getcwd(buffer, 256);
+#endif
+  return buffer;
+}
+
+}
+
 class ConnectionUnitTest : public LoopTest {
 public:
   enum Status {
@@ -190,6 +216,60 @@ TEST_F(ConnectionUnitTest, Ssl) {
   EXPECT_EQ(state.status, STATUS_SUCCESS);
 }
 
+TEST_F(ConnectionUnitTest, SslDefaultVerifyPaths) {
+  const String host = "127.0.0.1";
+  const int verification_flags = CASS_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_CERT | CASS_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_IDENTITY;
+  const String cert_path = "tmp.cassandra.unit-test.cert";
+
+  mockssandra::SimpleCluster cluster(simple());
+  const String cert = cluster.use_ssl(host);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cert.empty()) << "Unable to enable SSL";
+  ConnectionSettings settings;
+  settings.socket_settings.ssl_context = SslContextFactory::create();
+  settings.socket_settings.ssl_context->set_verify_flags(verification_flags);
+  ASSERT_EQ(cluster.start_all(), 0);
+
+  // Test that cert verification fails prior to calling set_default_verify_paths
+  Connector::ConnectionError connect_rc = Connector::CONNECTION_OK;
+  Connector::Ptr connector0(new Connector(Host::Ptr(new Host(Address(host, PORT))),
+                                          PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+                                          bind_callback(on_connection_error_code, &connect_rc)));
+  connector0->with_settings(settings)->connect(loop());
+  uv_run(loop(), UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
+  EXPECT_EQ(connect_rc, Connector::CONNECTION_ERROR_SSL_VERIFY)
+      << "Verification succeeded without certificate.";
+
+  const String cwd = current_dir();
+
+  // Generate certificate as file (which is used by our mock cluster) and import it
+  std::ofstream cert_buffer(cert_path.c_str());
+  cert_buffer << cert;
+  cert_buffer.close();
+  setenv("SSL_CERT_FILE", cert_path.c_str());
+  setenv("SSL_CERT_DIR", cwd.c_str());
+  std::cout << "Debug SslDefaultVerifyPaths: SSL_CERT_FILE " << cert_path << " " << cert << std::endl;
+  for (const auto var: {"SSL_CERT_FILE", "SSL_CERT_DIR"}) {
+    const char* value = std::getenv(var);
+    if (value == nullptr) {
+      std::cout << "Debug SslDefaultVerifyPaths: Env " << var << " is not set!" << std::endl;
+      continue;
+    }
+    std::cout << "Debug SslDefaultVerifyPaths: Env " << var << " " << value << std::endl;
+  }
+  ASSERT_EQ(settings.socket_settings.ssl_context->set_default_verify_paths(), CASS_OK)
+      << "Failed to import default / system SSL certificates.";
+
+  // Ensure verification succeeds with this certificate.
+  State state;
+  Connector::Ptr connector1(new Connector(Host::Ptr(new Host(Address(host, PORT))),
+                                          PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+                                          bind_callback(on_connection_connected, &state)));
+  connector1->with_settings(settings)->connect(loop());
+  uv_run(loop(), UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
+  EXPECT_EQ(state.status, STATUS_SUCCESS);
+  ASSERT_EQ(std::remove(cert_path.c_str()), 0) << "Failed to cleanup temporary certificate file.";
+}
+
 TEST_F(ConnectionUnitTest, Refused) {
   // Don't start cluster
 
diff --git a/topics/security/ssl/README.md b/topics/security/ssl/README.md
index 764042a30..16631aaa6 100644
--- a/topics/security/ssl/README.md
+++ b/topics/security/ssl/README.md
@@ -165,6 +165,19 @@ cass_ssl_set_verify_flags(ssl, CASS_SSL_VERIFY_NONE);
 cass_ssl_free(ssl);
 ```
 
+System wide certificate authorities can be enabled as well:
+
+```c
+CassSsl* ssl = cass_ssl_new();
+
+// Use system default directories for finding certificate authorities.
+cass_ssl_set_default_verify_paths(ssl);
+
+/* ... */
+
+cass_ssl_free(ssl);
+```
+
 #### Enabling Cassandra identity verification
 
 If a unique certificate has been generated for each Cassandra node with the IP address or domain name in the CN or SAN fields, you also need to enable identity verification.