diff --git a/ca_pool.go b/ca_pool.go
index 3d813a5..00ff57b 100644
--- a/ca_pool.go
+++ b/ca_pool.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"time"
 )
 
 type CaPool struct {
@@ -163,6 +164,46 @@ func (self *CaPool) GetChain(cert *x509.Certificate, additionalCerts ...*x509.Ce
 	return assembleChain(cert, chainCandidates)
 }
 
+// VerifyToRoot will obtain a chain and verify it to a root CA. This is similar to the requirements that
+// OpenSSL has for TLS.
+func (self *CaPool) VerifyToRoot(cert *x509.Certificate) ([][]*x509.Certificate, error) {
+	if cert == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("cannot verify a nil certificate")
+	}
+
+	opts := x509.VerifyOptions{
+		Intermediates: self.IntermediatesAsStdPool(),
+		Roots:         self.RootsAsStdPool(),
+		CurrentTime:   time.Now(),
+	}
+
+	return cert.Verify(opts)
+}
+
+// IntermediatesAsStdPool returns all intermediates in an *x509.CertPool. Useful for calling standard x509 package
+// functions.
+func (self *CaPool) IntermediatesAsStdPool() *x509.CertPool {
+	pool := x509.NewCertPool()
+
+	for _, cert := range self.intermediates {
+		pool.AddCert(cert)
+	}
+
+	return pool
+}
+
+// RootsAsStdPool returns all intermediates in an *x509.CertPool. Useful for calling standard x509 package
+// functions.
+func (self *CaPool) RootsAsStdPool() *x509.CertPool {
+	pool := x509.NewCertPool()
+
+	for _, cert := range self.roots {
+		pool.AddCert(cert)
+	}
+
+	return pool
+}
+
 // assembleChain starts at `startCert` and build the longest chain up through ancestor signing certs as it can from `chainCandidates`.
 func assembleChain(startCert *x509.Certificate, chainCandidates map[string]*x509.Certificate) []*x509.Certificate {
 	if startCert == nil {
diff --git a/ca_pool_test.go b/ca_pool_test.go
index 6155366..3f194c4 100644
--- a/ca_pool_test.go
+++ b/ca_pool_test.go
@@ -196,6 +196,39 @@ func TestCaPool(t *testing.T) {
 			req.Equal(pki.IntermediateA1.cert, chain[2])
 			req.Equal(pki.RootA.cert, chain[3])
 		})
+
+		t.Run("a chain can be built and verified from a nested intermediate", func(t *testing.T) {
+			req = require.New(t)
+
+			chains, err := pool.VerifyToRoot(pki.LeafA3.cert)
+
+			req.NoError(err)
+			req.Len(chains, 1)
+			req.Len(chains[0], 5)
+			req.Equal(chains[0][0], pki.LeafA3.cert)
+			req.Equal(chains[0][1], pki.IntermediateA3.cert)
+			req.Equal(chains[0][2], pki.IntermediateA2.cert)
+			req.Equal(chains[0][3], pki.IntermediateA1.cert)
+			req.Equal(chains[0][4], pki.RootA.cert)
+		})
+
+		t.Run("an error is returned attempting to verify a nil cert", func(t *testing.T) {
+			req = require.New(t)
+
+			chains, err := pool.VerifyToRoot(nil)
+
+			req.Error(err)
+			req.Nil(chains)
+		})
+
+		t.Run("an error is returned attempting to verify a leaf not in the pool", func(t *testing.T) {
+			req = require.New(t)
+
+			chains, err := pool.VerifyToRoot(pki.LeafC.cert)
+
+			req.Error(err)
+			req.Nil(chains)
+		})
 	})
 
 }
diff --git a/chains_test.go b/chains_test.go
index 199f2d5..c507010 100644
--- a/chains_test.go
+++ b/chains_test.go
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ func newRootCa() *testCa {
 		ExtKeyUsage:           []x509.ExtKeyUsage{},
 		KeyUsage:              x509.KeyUsageDigitalSignature | x509.KeyUsageCertSign,
 		BasicConstraintsValid: true,
+		MaxPathLen:            -1,
 	}
 
 	rootBytes, err := x509.CreateCertificate(rand.Reader, root, root, &rootKey.PublicKey, rootKey)
@@ -488,8 +489,7 @@ func (ca *testCa) NewIntermediateWithAKID() *testCa {
 		KeyUsage:              x509.KeyUsageDigitalSignature | x509.KeyUsageCertSign,
 		BasicConstraintsValid: true,
 		AuthorityKeyId:        ca.cert.SubjectKeyId,
-		MaxPathLen:            0,
-		MaxPathLenZero:        true,
+		MaxPathLen:            5,
 	}
 
 	intermediateKey, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 4096)
@@ -537,8 +537,7 @@ func (ca *testCa) NewIntermediateWithoutAKID() *testCa {
 		ExtKeyUsage:           []x509.ExtKeyUsage{},
 		KeyUsage:              x509.KeyUsageDigitalSignature | x509.KeyUsageCertSign,
 		BasicConstraintsValid: true,
-		MaxPathLen:            0,
-		MaxPathLenZero:        true,
+		MaxPathLen:            5,
 	}
 
 	intermediateKey, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 4096)