diff --git a/python-tornado.changes b/python-tornado.changes
index c0d32a6..80e6439 100644
--- a/python-tornado.changes
+++ b/python-tornado.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Wed Sep 30 09:11:37 UTC 2015 - fcastelli@suse.com
+
+- python-certifi is an optional depedency when python 2.7.9 is available.
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sat Sep 26 10:21:28 UTC 2015 - toddrme2178@gmail.com
 
diff --git a/python-tornado.spec b/python-tornado.spec
index b960060..9b252e8 100644
--- a/python-tornado.spec
+++ b/python-tornado.spec
@@ -27,13 +27,27 @@ Source:         https://pypi.python.org/packages/source/t/tornado/tornado-%{vers
 BuildRoot:      %{_tmppath}/%{name}-%{version}-build
 BuildRequires:  python-backports.ssl_match_hostname
 BuildRequires:  python-devel
-BuildRequires:  python-certifi
 BuildRequires:  python-futures
 BuildRequires:  python-pycurl
 BuildRequires:  python-setuptools
 BuildRequires:  python-simplejson
 Requires:       python-backports.ssl_match_hostname
+
+# Tornado requires python-certifi when the ssl module
+# does not provide the 'create_default_context' function.
+# The ssl module is part of the python package.
+# Starting from python 2.7.9 the ssl module satisfies
+# tornado's requirement, making the python-certifi package
+# optional.
+# Python 2.7.9 is availalbe on SLE12 Updates channel and is going
+# to be available also on openSUSE leap.
+%if 0%{?sles_version} >= 12 || 0%{suse_version} > 1320
+Requires:       python >= 2.7.9
+%else
+BuildRequires:  python-certifi
 Requires:       python-certifi
+%endif
+
 Requires:       python-simplejson
 %if 0%{?suse_version}
 Recommends:     python-futures