diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f962d0f..882e104 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ Options are passed to `explorer(app, options)`.
 > to a path different than '/api', e.g. with
 > `loopback.use('/custom-api-root', loopback.rest());
 
+`protocol`: **String**
+
+> Default: `null`
+
+> A hard override for the outgoing protocol (`http` or `https`) that is designated in Swagger
+> resource documents. By default, `loopback-explorer` will write the protocol that was used to retrieve
+> the doc. This option is useful if, for instance, your API sits behind an SSL terminator
+> and thus needs to report its endpoints as `https`, even though incoming traffic is auto-detected
+> as `http`.
+
 `swaggerDistRoot`: **String** 
 
 > Sets a path within your application for overriding Swagger UI files.
diff --git a/lib/swagger.js b/lib/swagger.js
index 2bea1a1..5d76098 100644
--- a/lib/swagger.js
+++ b/lib/swagger.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ var routeHelper = require('./route-helper');
  * @param {Object} opts Options.
  */
 function Swagger(loopbackApplication, swaggerApp, opts) {
-  opts = _defaults({}, opts, {
+  _defaults(opts || {}, {
     swaggerVersion: '1.2',
     basePath: loopbackApplication.get('restApiRoot') || '/api',
     resourcePath: 'resources',
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ function Swagger(loopbackApplication, swaggerApp, opts) {
 
     // Add the getter for this doc.
     var docPath = urlJoin(opts.resourcePath, aClass.http.path);
-    addRoute(swaggerApp, docPath, doc);
+    addRoute(swaggerApp, docPath, doc, opts);
   });
 
   // A route is an endpoint, such as /users/findOne.
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function Swagger(loopbackApplication, swaggerApp, opts) {
    * resources available on the system, and where to find more 
    * information about them.
    */
-  addRoute(swaggerApp, opts.resourcePath, resourceDoc);
+  addRoute(swaggerApp, opts.resourcePath, resourceDoc, opts);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ function Swagger(loopbackApplication, swaggerApp, opts) {
  * @param {String} uri            Path from which to serve the doc.
  * @param {Object} doc            Doc to serve.
  */
-function addRoute(app, uri, doc) {
+function addRoute(app, uri, doc, opts) {
 
   var hasBasePath = Object.keys(doc).indexOf('basePath') !== -1;
   var initialPath = doc.basePath || '';
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ function addRoute(app, uri, doc) {
     if (hasBasePath) {
       var headers = req.headers;
       var host = headers.Host || headers.host;
-      doc.basePath = req.protocol + '://' + host + initialPath;
+      doc.basePath = (opts.protocol || req.protocol) + '://' + 
+        host + initialPath;
     }
     res.status(200).send(doc);
   });
diff --git a/test/swagger.test.js b/test/swagger.test.js
index 2fd6bd2..1cd0a5b 100644
--- a/test/swagger.test.js
+++ b/test/swagger.test.js
@@ -69,6 +69,18 @@ describe('swagger definition', function() {
         done();
       });
     });
+
+    it('respects a hardcoded protocol (behind SSL terminator)', function(done){
+      var app = mountSwagger({protocol: 'https'});
+
+      var getReq = getAPIDeclaration(app, 'products');
+      getReq.end(function(err, res) {
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        var parsed = url.parse(res.body.basePath);
+        expect(parsed.protocol).to.equal('https:');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Model definition attributes', function() {