diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 5ea5591..bdc0c1c 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ type MySqlConfig struct {
 	SslCert               string `ini:"ssl-cert"`
 	SslKey                string `ini:"ssl-key"`
 	TlsInsecureSkipVerify bool   `ini:"ssl-skip-verfication"`
+	Tls                   string `ini:"tls"`
 }
 
 type MySqlConfigHandler struct {
@@ -132,6 +133,8 @@ func (ch *MySqlConfigHandler) ReloadConfig(filename string, mysqldAddress string
 		mysqlcfg := &MySqlConfig{
 			TlsInsecureSkipVerify: tlsInsecureSkipVerify,
 		}
+
+		// FIXME: this error check seems orphaned
 		if err != nil {
 			level.Error(logger).Log("msg", "failed to load config", "section", sectionName, "err", err)
 			continue
@@ -197,12 +200,17 @@ func (m MySqlConfig) FormDSN(target string) (string, error) {
 		config.Addr = target
 	}
 
-	if m.SslCa != "" {
-		if err := m.CustomizeTLS(); err != nil {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("failed to register a custom TLS configuration for mysql dsn: %w", err)
-			return "", err
+	if m.TlsInsecureSkipVerify {
+		config.TLSConfig = "skip-verify"
+	} else {
+		config.TLSConfig = m.Tls
+		if m.SslCa != "" {
+			if err := m.CustomizeTLS(); err != nil {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("failed to register a custom TLS configuration for mysql dsn: %w", err)
+				return "", err
+			}
+			config.TLSConfig = "custom"
 		}
-		config.TLSConfig = "custom"
 	}
 
 	return config.FormatDSN(), nil
diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
index b7b1280..a96bf9f 100644
--- a/config/config_test.go
+++ b/config/config_test.go
@@ -149,12 +149,12 @@ func TestFormDSN(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 
 	convey.Convey("Host exporter dsn", t, func() {
-		if err := c.ReloadConfig("testdata/client.cnf", "localhost:3306", "", true, log.NewNopLogger()); err != nil {
+		if err := c.ReloadConfig("testdata/client.cnf", "localhost:3306", "", false, log.NewNopLogger()); err != nil {
 			t.Error(err)
 		}
 		convey.Convey("Default Client", func() {
 			cfg := c.GetConfig()
-			section, _ := cfg.Sections["client"]
+			section := cfg.Sections["client"]
 			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN(""); err != nil {
 				t.Error(err)
 			}
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func TestFormDSN(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		convey.Convey("Target specific with explicit port", func() {
 			cfg := c.GetConfig()
-			section, _ := cfg.Sections["client.server1"]
+			section := cfg.Sections["client.server1"]
 			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN("server1:5000"); err != nil {
 				t.Error(err)
 			}
@@ -170,3 +170,78 @@ func TestFormDSN(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	})
 }
+
+func TestFormDSNWithSslSkipVerify(t *testing.T) {
+	var (
+		c = MySqlConfigHandler{
+			Config: &Config{},
+		}
+		err error
+		dsn string
+	)
+
+	convey.Convey("Host exporter dsn with tls skip verify", t, func() {
+		if err := c.ReloadConfig("testdata/client.cnf", "localhost:3306", "", true, log.NewNopLogger()); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+		convey.Convey("Default Client", func() {
+			cfg := c.GetConfig()
+			section := cfg.Sections["client"]
+			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN(""); err != nil {
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+			convey.So(dsn, convey.ShouldEqual, "root:abc@tcp(server2:3306)/?tls=skip-verify")
+		})
+		convey.Convey("Target specific with explicit port", func() {
+			cfg := c.GetConfig()
+			section := cfg.Sections["client.server1"]
+			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN("server1:5000"); err != nil {
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+			convey.So(dsn, convey.ShouldEqual, "test:foo@tcp(server1:5000)/?tls=skip-verify")
+		})
+	})
+}
+
+func TestFormDSNWithCustomTls(t *testing.T) {
+	var (
+		c = MySqlConfigHandler{
+			Config: &Config{},
+		}
+		err error
+		dsn string
+	)
+
+	convey.Convey("Host exporter dsn with custom tls", t, func() {
+		if err := c.ReloadConfig("testdata/client_custom_tls.cnf", "localhost:3306", "", false, log.NewNopLogger()); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+		convey.Convey("Target tls enabled", func() {
+			cfg := c.GetConfig()
+			section := cfg.Sections["client_tls_true"]
+			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN(""); err != nil {
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+			convey.So(dsn, convey.ShouldEqual, "usr:pwd@tcp(server2:3306)/?tls=true")
+		})
+
+		convey.Convey("Target tls preferred", func() {
+			cfg := c.GetConfig()
+			section := cfg.Sections["client_tls_preferred"]
+			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN(""); err != nil {
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+			convey.So(dsn, convey.ShouldEqual, "usr:pwd@tcp(server3:3306)/?tls=preferred")
+		})
+
+		convey.Convey("Target tls skip-verify", func() {
+			cfg := c.GetConfig()
+			section := cfg.Sections["client_tls_skip_verify"]
+			if dsn, err = section.FormDSN(""); err != nil {
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+			convey.So(dsn, convey.ShouldEqual, "usr:pwd@tcp(server3:3306)/?tls=skip-verify")
+		})
+
+	})
+}
diff --git a/config/testdata/client_custom_tls.cnf b/config/testdata/client_custom_tls.cnf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f1d525
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/testdata/client_custom_tls.cnf
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+[client_tls_true]
+host = server2
+port = 3306
+user = usr
+password = pwd
+tls=true
+[client_tls_preferred]
+host = server3
+port = 3306
+user = usr
+password = pwd
+tls=preferred
+[client_tls_skip_verify]
+host = server3
+port = 3306
+user = usr
+password = pwd
+tls=skip-verify