diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index 8e1d6485..f64d8242 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -105,12 +105,27 @@ downloader.http.timeout
 -----------------------
 =========== =====
 Type        ``float`` or ``null``
-Default     ``null``
+Default     ``30``
 Description Amount of time (in seconds) to wait for a successful connection
-            and a response from a remote server.
+            and response from a remote server.
 
-            This value gets internally used as the ``timeout`` parameter for the
-            |requests.get()|_ method.
+            This value gets internally used as the |timeout|_ parameter for the
+            |requests.request()|_ method during downloads.
+=========== =====
+
+
+downloader.http.verify
+----------------------
+=========== =====
+Type        ``bool`` or ``string``
+Default     ``true``
+Description Controls whether to verify SSL/TLS certificates for HTTPS requests.
+
+            If this is a ``string``, it must be the path to a CA bundle to use
+            instead of the default certificates.
+
+            This value gets internally used as the |verify|_ parameter for the
+            |requests.request()|_ method during downloads.
 =========== =====
 
 
@@ -302,7 +317,7 @@ Type        ``float``
 Default     ``3.0``
 Description Minimum wait time in seconds between each image
 
-            Exhentai detects and blocks automated downloaders.
+            ExHentai detects and blocks automated downloaders.
             ``gallery-dl`` waits a randomly selected number of
             seconds between ``wait-min`` and ``wait-max`` after
             each image to prevent getting blocked.
@@ -380,7 +395,7 @@ extractor.imgur.mp4
 =========== =====
 Type        ``bool`` or ``string``
 Default     ``true``
-Description Controls whether to choose the GIF or MP4 version of an animation
+Description Controls whether to choose the GIF or MP4 version of an animation.
 
             * ``true``: Follow Imgur's advice and choose MP4 if the
               ``prefer_video`` flag in an image's metadata is set.
@@ -538,7 +553,9 @@ Description The ``refresh_token`` value you get from linking your Reddit account
 
 .. |.netrc| replace:: ``.netrc``
 .. |tempfile.gettempdir()| replace:: ``tempfile.gettempdir()``
-.. |requests.get()| replace:: ``requests.get()``
+.. |requests.request()| replace:: ``requests.request()``
+.. |timeout| replace:: ``timeout``
+.. |verify| replace:: ``verify``
 .. |mature_content| replace:: ``mature_content``
 .. |webbrowser.open()| replace:: ``webbrowser.open()``
 .. |datetime.max| replace:: ``datetime.max``
@@ -550,7 +567,9 @@ Description The ``refresh_token`` value you get from linking your Reddit account
 
 .. _.netrc:            https://stackoverflow.com/tags/.netrc/info
 .. _tempfile.gettempdir(): https://docs.python.org/3/library/tempfile.html#tempfile.gettempdir
-.. _requests.get():    https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/user/advanced/#timeouts
+.. _requests.request(): https://docs.python-requests.org/en/master/api/#requests.request
+.. _timeout:           https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/user/advanced/#timeouts
+.. _verify:            https://docs.python-requests.org/en/master/user/advanced/#ssl-cert-verification
 .. _format string:     https://docs.python.org/3/library/string.html#formatstrings
 .. _format strings:    https://docs.python.org/3/library/string.html#formatstrings
 .. _strptime:          https://docs.python.org/3/library/datetime.html#strftime-strptime-behavior
diff --git a/docs/gallery-dl.conf b/docs/gallery-dl.conf
index 18b9c647..ea613286 100644
--- a/docs/gallery-dl.conf
+++ b/docs/gallery-dl.conf
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
         "http":
         {
             "retries": 5,
-            "timeout": null
+            "timeout": 30,
+            "verify": true
         }
     },
     "extractor":
@@ -36,7 +37,12 @@
             "wait-max": 6,
             "original": true,
             "username": null,
-            "password": null
+            "password": null,
+            "cookies": {
+                "igneous": null,
+                "s": null,
+                "yay": "louder"
+            }
         },
         "nijie":
         {
diff --git a/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py b/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py
index 883265e8..88196b51 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/downloader/http.py
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ log = logging.getLogger("http")
 class Downloader(BasicDownloader):
 
     retries = config.interpolate(("downloader", "http", "retries",), 5)
-    timeout = config.interpolate(("downloader", "http", "timeout",), None)
+    timeout = config.interpolate(("downloader", "http", "timeout",), 30)
+    verify = config.interpolate(("downloader", "http", "verify",), True)
 
     def __init__(self, session, output):
         BasicDownloader.__init__(self)
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ class Downloader(BasicDownloader):
             # try to connect to remote source
             try:
                 response = self.session.get(
-                    url, stream=True, timeout=self.timeout
+                    url, stream=True, timeout=self.timeout, verify=self.verify,
                 )
             except (rexcepts.ConnectionError, rexcepts.Timeout) as exception:
                 msg = exception