diff --git a/src/conn.c b/src/conn.c
index 376b643d..3ab911dc 100644
--- a/src/conn.c
+++ b/src/conn.c
@@ -737,12 +737,10 @@ _makeTLSConn(natsConnection *nc)
             }
             if (s == NATS_OK)
             {
-                SSL_verify_cb cb = _collectSSLErr;
-#ifdef NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
                 if (nc->opts->sslCtx->callback != NULL)
-                    cb = nc->opts->sslCtx->callback;
-#endif // NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
-                SSL_set_verify(ssl, SSL_VERIFY_PEER, cb);
+                    nc->opts->sslCtx->callback((void*)ssl);
+                else
+                    SSL_set_verify(ssl, SSL_VERIFY_PEER, _collectSSLErr);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/nats.h b/src/nats.h
index 75fbc863..a80c365b 100644
--- a/src/nats.h
+++ b/src/nats.h
@@ -27,15 +27,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "status.h"
 #include "version.h"
 
-#ifdef NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
-
-#if !defined(NATS_HAS_TLS)
-#error "natsOptions_SetSSLVerificationCallback requires NATS_HAS_TLS to be defined"
-#endif
-#include <openssl/ssl.h>
-#include <openssl/x509v3.h>
-
-#endif // NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
 
 /** \def NATS_EXTERN
  *  \brief Needed for shared library.
@@ -1781,6 +1772,33 @@ typedef void (*natsOnCompleteCB)(void *closure);
  */
 typedef int64_t (*natsCustomReconnectDelayHandler)(natsConnection *nc, int attempts, void *closure);
 
+/** \brief Callback used to setup SSL on connection.
+ *
+ * This callback is used to allow the user to customize the SSL setup for a connection
+ * typically to set up custom certificate verification. The user should cast the
+ * ssl pointer to the appropriate SSL type and then set up the additional SSL
+ * callbacks as needed.
+ *
+ * \code{.unparsed}
+ * #include <openssl/ssl.h>
+ *
+ * int _sslVerifyCallback(int preverify_ok, X509_STORE_CTX *ctx)
+ * {
+ *     // Custom verification code here...
+ * }
+ *
+ * void _sslCallback(void *ssl)
+ * {
+ *     SSL_set_verify((SSL *)ssl, SSL_VERIFY_PEER, _sslVerifyCallback);
+ * }
+ * \endcode
+ *
+ * see also https://docs.openssl.org/master/man3/SSL_CTX_set_verify/
+ *
+ * @param ssl the pointer to the SSL struct. Must be cast to the SSL type.
+ */
+typedef void (*natsCustomSSLHandler)(void *ssl);
+
 #ifdef BUILD_IN_DOXYGEN
 /** \brief Callback used to process asynchronous publish errors from JetStream.
  *
@@ -2671,9 +2689,10 @@ natsOptions_SkipServerVerification(natsOptions *opts, bool skip);
 
 #ifdef NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
 
-/** \brief EXPERIMENTAL Sets the certificate validation callback.
+/** \brief EXPERIMENTAL Sets the SSL callback.
  *
- * Sets a callback used to verify the SSL certificate.
+ * Sets a callback used to create additional SSL setup for the connection such as
+ * setting up custom certificate verification.
  *
  * \note Setting a callback will enable SSL verification if disabled via
  * natsOptions_SkipServerVerification().
@@ -2684,11 +2703,10 @@ natsOptions_SkipServerVerification(natsOptions *opts, bool skip);
  * installed and added to the include/link paths.
  *
  * @param opts the pointer to the #natsOptions object.
- * @param callback the custom SSL verification handler to invoke. see
- * https://docs.openssl.org/master/man3/SSL_CTX_set_verify/
+ * @param callback the custom SSL handler to invoke. See the #natsCustomSSLHandler prototype.
  */
 NATS_EXTERN natsStatus
-natsOptions_SetSSLVerificationCallback(natsOptions *opts, SSL_verify_cb callback);
+natsOptions_SetSSLCallback(natsOptions *opts, natsCustomSSLHandler callback);
 
 #endif // NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
 
diff --git a/src/natsp.h b/src/natsp.h
index b3b753c6..eb9f49f0 100644
--- a/src/natsp.h
+++ b/src/natsp.h
@@ -182,15 +182,12 @@ typedef struct __natsServerInfo
 
 typedef struct __natsSSLCtx
 {
-    natsMutex       *lock;
-    int             refs;
-    SSL_CTX         *ctx;
-    char            *expectedHostname;
-    bool            skipVerify;
-
-#ifdef NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
-    SSL_verify_cb   callback;
-#endif // NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
+    natsMutex              *lock;
+    int                    refs;
+    SSL_CTX                *ctx;
+    char                   *expectedHostname;
+    bool                   skipVerify;
+    natsCustomSSLHandler   callback;
 
 } natsSSLCtx;
 
diff --git a/src/opts.c b/src/opts.c
index 48c75382..8331a595 100644
--- a/src/opts.c
+++ b/src/opts.c
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ natsOptions_SkipServerVerification(natsOptions *opts, bool skip)
 #ifdef NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
 
 natsStatus
-natsOptions_SetSSLVerificationCallback(natsOptions *opts, SSL_verify_cb callback)
+natsOptions_SetSSLCallback(natsOptions *opts, natsCustomSSLHandler callback)
 {
     natsStatus s = NATS_OK;
 
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ natsOptions_SkipServerVerification(natsOptions *opts, bool skip)
 #ifdef NATS_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL
 
 natsStatus
-natsOptions_SetSSLVerificationCallback(natsOptions *opts, SSL_verify_cb callback)
+natsOptions_SetSSLCallback(natsOptions *opts, natsCustomSSLHandler callback)
 {
     return nats_setError(NATS_ILLEGAL_STATE, "%s", NO_SSL_ERR);
 }
diff --git a/test/test.c b/test/test.c
index eeea6780..6224708c 100644
--- a/test/test.c
+++ b/test/test.c
@@ -21191,6 +21191,13 @@ _sslVerifyCallback(int preverify_ok, X509_STORE_CTX *ctx)
     testf("verfiy result: %d\n", result);
     return result;
 }
+
+static void
+_sslCallback(void *ssl)
+{
+    SSL_set_verify((SSL *)ssl, SSL_VERIFY_PEER, _sslVerifyCallback);
+}
+
 #endif // NATS_HAS_TLS
 
 void test_SSLVerificationCallback(void)
@@ -21218,7 +21225,7 @@ void test_SSLVerificationCallback(void)
 
     test("Check that connect succeeds with validation callback:\n");
     s = natsOptions_SetURL(opts, "nats://127.0.0.1:4443");
-    IFOK(s, natsOptions_SetSSLVerificationCallback(opts, _sslVerifyCallback));
+    IFOK(s, natsOptions_SetSSLCallback(opts, _sslCallback));
     IFOK(s, natsConnection_Connect(&nc, opts));
     testCond(s == NATS_OK);
     natsConnection_Destroy(nc);