diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ab099854b..b4883395c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -941,6 +941,7 @@ The first argument can be either a `url` or an `options` object. The only requir
 - `followAuthorizationHeader` - retain `authorization` header when a redirect happens to a different hostname (default: `false`)
 - `maxRedirects` - the maximum number of redirects to follow (default: `10`)
 - `removeRefererHeader` - removes the referer header when a redirect happens (default: `false`). **Note:** if true, referer header set in the initial request is preserved during redirect chain.
+- `allowInsecureRedirect` - allows cross-protocol redirects (HTTP to HTTPS and vice versa). **Warning:** may lead to bypassing anti SSRF filters (default: `false`)
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/lib/redirect.js b/lib/redirect.js
index 47bf0ad28..a27026869 100644
--- a/lib/redirect.js
+++ b/lib/redirect.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ function Redirect (request) {
   this.redirects = []
   this.redirectsFollowed = 0
   this.removeRefererHeader = false
+  this.allowInsecureRedirect = false
 }
 
 Redirect.prototype.onRequest = function (options) {
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ Redirect.prototype.onRequest = function (options) {
   if (options.followAuthorizationHeader !== undefined) {
     self.followAuthorizationHeader = options.followAuthorizationHeader
   }
+  if (options.allowInsecureRedirect !== undefined) {
+    self.allowInsecureRedirect = options.allowInsecureRedirect
+  }
 }
 
 Redirect.prototype.redirectTo = function (response) {
@@ -122,7 +126,7 @@ Redirect.prototype.onResponse = function (response, callback) {
     request.uri = urlParser.parse(redirectTo)
 
     // handle the case where we change protocol from https to http or vice versa
-    if (request.uri.protocol !== uriPrev.protocol) {
+    if (request.uri.protocol !== uriPrev.protocol && self.allowInsecureRedirect) {
       delete request.agent
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/test-httpModule.js b/tests/test-httpModule.js
index 4d4e236bf..f12382fe6 100644
--- a/tests/test-httpModule.js
+++ b/tests/test-httpModule.js
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ function runTests (name, httpModules) {
   tape(name, function (t) {
     var toHttps = 'http://localhost:' + plainServer.port + '/to_https'
     var toPlain = 'https://localhost:' + httpsServer.port + '/to_plain'
-    var options = { httpModules: httpModules, strictSSL: false }
+    var options = { httpModules: httpModules, strictSSL: false, allowInsecureRedirect: true }
     var modulesTest = httpModules || {}
 
     clearFauxRequests()
diff --git a/tests/test-redirect-auth.js b/tests/test-redirect-auth.js
index 7aef6edcc..93b606537 100644
--- a/tests/test-redirect-auth.js
+++ b/tests/test-redirect-auth.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ request = request.defaults({
     user: 'test',
     pass: 'testing'
   },
+  allowInsecureRedirect: true,
   rejectUnauthorized: false
 })
 
diff --git a/tests/test-redirect-complex.js b/tests/test-redirect-complex.js
index 072b5986c..2ba3a65ff 100644
--- a/tests/test-redirect-complex.js
+++ b/tests/test-redirect-complex.js
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ tape('lots of redirects', function (t) {
     request({
       url: (i % 2 ? s.url : ss.url) + '/a',
       headers: { 'x-test-key': key },
+      allowInsecureRedirect: true,
       rejectUnauthorized: false
     }, function (err, res, body) {
       t.equal(err, null)
diff --git a/tests/test-redirect-multi-version.js b/tests/test-redirect-multi-version.js
index 64bc225cc..bd19972a9 100644
--- a/tests/test-redirect-multi-version.js
+++ b/tests/test-redirect-multi-version.js
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ tape('setup', function (t) {
 })
 
 tape('HTTP to HTTP2', function (t) {
-  var options = { strictSSL: false, protocolVersion: 'auto' }
+  var options = { strictSSL: false, protocolVersion: 'auto', allowInsecureRedirect: true }
   request('http://localhost:' + plainServer.port + '/redir/http2', options, function (err, res, body) {
     t.equal(err, null)
     t.equal(body, 'http2')
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ tape('HTTPS to HTTP2', function (t) {
 })
 
 tape('HTTP2 to HTTP', function (t) {
-  var options = { strictSSL: false, protocolVersion: 'auto' }
+  var options = { strictSSL: false, protocolVersion: 'auto', allowInsecureRedirect: true }
   request('https://localhost:' + http2Server.port + '/redir', options, function (err, res, body) {
     t.equal(err, null)
     t.equal(body, 'plain')
diff --git a/tests/test-redirect.js b/tests/test-redirect.js
index a0fdb19cc..1149b2a20 100644
--- a/tests/test-redirect.js
+++ b/tests/test-redirect.js
@@ -533,6 +533,7 @@ tape('http to https redirect', function (t) {
   hits = {}
   request.get({
     uri: require('url').parse(s.url + '/ssl'),
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     rejectUnauthorized: false
   }, function (err, res, body) {
     t.equal(err, null)
@@ -542,6 +543,18 @@ tape('http to https redirect', function (t) {
   })
 })
 
+tape('http to https redirect should fail without the explicit "allowInsecureRedirect" option', function (t) {
+  hits = {}
+  request.get({
+    uri: require('url').parse(s.url + '/ssl'),
+    rejectUnauthorized: false
+  }, function (err, res, body) {
+    t.notEqual(err, null)
+    t.equal(err.message, 'Protocol "https:" not supported. Expected "http:"', 'Failed to cross-protocol redirect')
+    t.end()
+  })
+})
+
 tape('should have referer header by default when following redirect', function (t) {
   request.post({
     uri: s.url + '/temp',
diff --git a/tests/test-tunnel-response.js b/tests/test-tunnel-response.js
index 1224a0494..6f0902114 100644
--- a/tests/test-tunnel-response.js
+++ b/tests/test-tunnel-response.js
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ function addTests () {
 
   runTest('https->http over http, tunnel=default, with proxy response', {
     url: ss.url + '/redirect/http',
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     proxy: s.url
   }, [
     'http connect to localhost:' + ss.port,
diff --git a/tests/test-tunnel.js b/tests/test-tunnel.js
index 3aee30528..5e093025f 100644
--- a/tests/test-tunnel.js
+++ b/tests/test-tunnel.js
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ function addTests () {
 
   runTest('https->http over http, tunnel=default', {
     url: ss.url + '/redirect/http',
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     proxy: s.url
   }, [
     'http connect to localhost:' + ss.port,
diff --git a/tests/test-verbose-auto-http2.js b/tests/test-verbose-auto-http2.js
index 13d3addd4..dad443533 100644
--- a/tests/test-verbose-auto-http2.js
+++ b/tests/test-verbose-auto-http2.js
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ tape('HTTP: verbose=true', function (t) {
 tape('HTTP: redirect(HTTPS) + verbose=true', function (t) {
   var options = {
     verbose: true,
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     strictSSL: false,
     protocolVersion: 'auto'
   }
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@ tape('HTTPS: verbose=true', function (t) {
 tape('HTTPS: redirect(HTTP) + verbose=true', function (t) {
   var options = {
     verbose: true,
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     strictSSL: false,
     protocolVersion: 'auto'
   }
diff --git a/tests/test-verbose-http2.js b/tests/test-verbose-http2.js
index 40f14476a..fcf68ac5e 100644
--- a/tests/test-verbose-http2.js
+++ b/tests/test-verbose-http2.js
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ tape('HTTP: verbose=true', function (t) {
 tape('HTTP: redirect(HTTPS) + verbose=true', function (t) {
   var options = {
     verbose: true,
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     strictSSL: false,
     protocolVersion: 'http2'
   }
@@ -191,6 +192,7 @@ tape('HTTPS Gzip: verbose=true', function (t) {
 tape('HTTPS: redirect(HTTP) + verbose=true', function (t) {
   var options = {
     verbose: true,
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     strictSSL: false,
     protocolVersion: 'http2'
   }
diff --git a/tests/test-verbose.js b/tests/test-verbose.js
index 741ae14d6..eaa984d26 100644
--- a/tests/test-verbose.js
+++ b/tests/test-verbose.js
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ tape('HTTP: verbose=true', function (t) {
 tape('HTTP: redirect(HTTPS) + verbose=true', function (t) {
   var options = {
     verbose: true,
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     strictSSL: false
   }
 
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ tape('HTTPS Gzip: verbose=true', function (t) {
 tape('HTTPS: redirect(HTTP) + verbose=true', function (t) {
   var options = {
     verbose: true,
+    allowInsecureRedirect: true,
     strictSSL: false
   }