diff --git a/include/opendht/crypto.h b/include/opendht/crypto.h
index c019096f..6ef87057 100644
--- a/include/opendht/crypto.h
+++ b/include/opendht/crypto.h
@@ -185,9 +185,10 @@ struct Certificate : public Serializable {
     std::string getIssuerUID() const;
 
     /**
-     * PEM encoded certificate
+     * PEM encoded certificate.
+     * If chain is true, the issuer chain will be included (default).
      */
-    std::string toString() const;
+    std::string toString(bool chain = true) const;
 
     gnutls_x509_crt_t cert {};
     std::shared_ptr<Certificate> issuer {};
diff --git a/src/crypto.cpp b/src/crypto.cpp
index 93284367..3dc42e2f 100644
--- a/src/crypto.cpp
+++ b/src/crypto.cpp
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ Certificate::getIssuerUID() const
 }
 
 std::string
-Certificate::toString() const
+Certificate::toString(bool chain) const
 {
     std::ostringstream ss;
     const Certificate* crt = this;
@@ -461,6 +461,8 @@ Certificate::toString() const
         }
         str.resize(buf_sz);
         ss << str;
+        if (not chain)
+            break;
         crt = crt->issuer.get();
     }
     return ss.str();