diff --git a/citest/service_testing/http_agent.py b/citest/service_testing/http_agent.py
index bf0128c..a30607f 100644
--- a/citest/service_testing/http_agent.py
+++ b/citest/service_testing/http_agent.py
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ def __init__(self, base_url, logger=None):
     self.__status_class = HttpOperationStatus
     self.__headers = {}
     self.__http_scrubber = HttpScrubber()
+    self.__ignore_ssl_cert_verification = False
 
   def add_header(self, key, value):
     """Specifies a header to add to each request that follows.