diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55604a3f73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+// Example of using SSL sessions to speed up SSL connection initiation
+//
+// September 2018 by Earle F. Philhower, III
+// Released to the public domain
+
+#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
+#include <time.h>
+
+const char *ssid = "....";
+const char *pass = "....";
+
+const char *   host = "api.github.com";
+const uint16_t port = 443;
+const char *   path = "/";
+
+void setup() {
+  Serial.begin(115200);
+  Serial.println();
+  Serial.println();
+
+  Serial.printf("Connecting to %s\n", ssid);
+  WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
+  WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);
+
+  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
+    delay(500);
+    Serial.print(".");
+  }
+  Serial.println("\nConnected");
+  Serial.println("IP Address: ");
+  Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
+
+  // Set up time to allow for certificate validation
+  configTime(3 * 3600, 0, "pool.ntp.org", "time.nist.gov");
+
+  Serial.print("Waiting for NTP time sync: ");
+  time_t now = time(nullptr);
+  while (now < 8 * 3600 * 2) {
+    delay(500);
+    Serial.print(".");
+    now = time(nullptr);
+  }
+  Serial.println("");
+  struct tm timeinfo;
+  gmtime_r(&now, &timeinfo);
+  Serial.print("Current time: ");
+  Serial.print(asctime(&timeinfo));
+}
+
+// Try and connect using a WiFiClientBearSSL to specified host:port and dump HTTP response
+void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_t port, const char *path) {
+  if (!path) {
+    path = "/";
+  }
+
+  Serial.printf("Trying: %s:443...", host);
+  client->connect(host, port);
+  if (!client->connected()) {
+    Serial.printf("*** Can't connect. ***\n-------\n");
+    return;
+  }
+  Serial.printf("Connected!\n-------\n");
+  client->write("GET ");
+  client->write(path);
+  client->write(" HTTP/1.0\r\nHost: ");
+  client->write(host);
+  client->write("\r\nUser-Agent: ESP8266\r\n");
+  client->write("\r\n");
+  uint32_t to = millis() + 5000;
+  if (client->connected()) {
+    do {
+      char tmp[32];
+      memset(tmp, 0, 32);
+      int rlen = client->read((uint8_t*)tmp, sizeof(tmp) - 1);
+      yield();
+      if (rlen < 0) {
+        break;
+      }
+      // Only print out first line up to \r, then abort connection
+      char *nl = strchr(tmp, '\r');
+      if (nl) {
+        *nl = 0;
+        Serial.print(tmp);
+        break;
+      }
+      Serial.print(tmp);
+    } while (millis() < to);
+  }
+  client->stop();
+  Serial.printf("\n-------\n\n");
+}
+
+
+void loop() {
+  static const char digicert[] PROGMEM = R"EOF(
+-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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+-----END CERTIFICATE-----
+)EOF";
+  uint32_t start, finish;
+  BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure client;
+  BearSSLX509List cert(digicert);
+
+  Serial.printf("Connecting without sessions...");
+  start = millis();
+  client.setTrustAnchors(&cert);
+  fetchURL(&client, host, port, path);
+  finish = millis();
+  Serial.printf("Total time: %dms\n", finish - start);
+
+  BearSSLSession session;
+  client.setSession(&session);
+  Serial.printf("Connecting with an unitialized session...");
+  start = millis();
+  client.setTrustAnchors(&cert);
+  fetchURL(&client, host, port, path);
+  finish = millis();
+  Serial.printf("Total time: %dms\n", finish - start);
+
+  Serial.printf("Connecting with the just initialized session...");
+  start = millis();
+  client.setTrustAnchors(&cert);
+  fetchURL(&client, host, port, path);
+  finish = millis();
+  Serial.printf("Total time: %dms\n", finish - start);
+
+  Serial.printf("Connecting again with the initialized session...");
+  start = millis();
+  client.setTrustAnchors(&cert);
+  fetchURL(&client, host, port, path);
+  finish = millis();
+  Serial.printf("Total time: %dms\n", finish - start);
+
+  delay(10000); // Avoid DDOSing github
+}
+
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/BearSSLHelpers.h b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/BearSSLHelpers.h
index 55b4970a42..6cfe4e4aec 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/BearSSLHelpers.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/BearSSLHelpers.h
@@ -119,4 +119,21 @@ class BearSSLX509List {
     br_x509_trust_anchor *_ta;
 };
 
+// Opaque object which wraps the BearSSL SSL session to make repeated connections
+// significantly faster.  Completely optional.
+namespace BearSSL {
+  class WiFiClientSecure;
+};
+
+class BearSSLSession {
+  friend class BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure;
+
+  public:
+    BearSSLSession() { memset(&_session, 0, sizeof(_session)); }
+  private:
+    br_ssl_session_parameters *getSession() { return &_session; }
+    // The actual BearSSL ession information
+    br_ssl_session_parameters _session;
+};
+
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp
index 57bfc2ed29..276514ab91 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ void WiFiClientSecure::_clear() {
   _recvapp_len = 0;
   _oom_err = false;
   _deleteChainKeyTA = false;
+  _session = nullptr;
   _cipher_list = NULL;
   _cipher_cnt = 0;
 }
@@ -177,8 +178,11 @@ void WiFiClientSecure::setBufferSizes(int recv, int xmit) {
 
 bool WiFiClientSecure::stop(unsigned int maxWaitMs) {
   bool ret = WiFiClient::stop(maxWaitMs); // calls our virtual flush()
-  // Only if we've already connected, clear the connection options
+  // Only if we've already connected, store session params and clear the connection options
   if (_handshake_done) {
+    if (_session) {
+      br_ssl_engine_get_session_parameters(_eng, _session->getSession());
+    }
     _clearAuthenticationSettings();
   }
   _freeSSL();
@@ -865,7 +869,12 @@ bool WiFiClientSecure::_connectSSL(const char* hostName) {
                                 _cert_issuer_key_type, br_ec_get_default(), br_ecdsa_sign_asn1_get_default());
   }
 
-  if (!br_ssl_client_reset(_sc.get(), hostName, 0)) {
+  // Restore session from the storage spot, if present
+  if (_session) {
+    br_ssl_engine_set_session_parameters(_eng, _session->getSession());
+  }
+
+  if (!br_ssl_client_reset(_sc.get(), hostName, _session?1:0)) {
     _freeSSL();
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h
index 7d8d657ec7..af32a38ee1 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ class WiFiClientSecure : public WiFiClient {
     bool flush(unsigned int maxWaitMs = 0) override;
     bool stop(unsigned int maxWaitMs = 0) override;
 
+    // Allow sessions to be saved/restored automatically to a memory area
+    void setSession(BearSSLSession *session) { _session = session; }
+
     // Don't validate the chain, just accept whatever is given.  VERY INSECURE!
     void setInsecure() {
       _clearAuthenticationSettings();
@@ -170,6 +173,10 @@ class WiFiClientSecure : public WiFiClient {
     bool _handshake_done;
     bool _oom_err;
 
+    // Optional storage space pointer for session parameters
+    // Will be used on connect and updated on close
+    BearSSLSession *_session;
+
     bool _use_insecure;
     bool _use_fingerprint;
     uint8_t _fingerprint[20];