diff --git a/examples/client.rs b/examples/client.rs
index 8c5589f..47e453a 100644
--- a/examples/client.rs
+++ b/examples/client.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use diameter::avp::Unsigned32;
 use diameter::dictionary;
 use diameter::flags;
 use diameter::transport::DiameterClient;
+use diameter::transport::DiameterClientConfig;
 use diameter::{ApplicationId, CommandCode, DiameterMessage};
 use std::fs;
 use std::net::Ipv4Addr;
@@ -26,7 +27,11 @@ async fn main() {
     }
 
     // Initialize a Diameter client and connect it to the server
-    let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868");
+    let client_config = DiameterClientConfig {
+        use_tls: false,
+        verify_cert: false,
+    };
+    let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868", client_config);
     let mut handler = client.connect().await.unwrap();
     tokio::spawn(async move {
         DiameterClient::handle(&mut handler).await;
diff --git a/examples/load_generator.rs b/examples/load_generator.rs
index 04b417d..7c42c8e 100644
--- a/examples/load_generator.rs
+++ b/examples/load_generator.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use diameter::avp::Unsigned32;
 use diameter::dictionary;
 use diameter::flags;
 use diameter::transport::DiameterClient;
+use diameter::transport::DiameterClientConfig;
 use diameter::{ApplicationId, CommandCode, DiameterMessage};
 use std::fs;
 use std::io::Write;
@@ -53,7 +54,11 @@ async fn main() {
     local
         .run_until(async move {
             // Initialize a Diameter client and connect it to the server
-            let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868");
+            let client_config = DiameterClientConfig {
+                use_tls: false,
+                verify_cert: false,
+            };
+            let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868", client_config);
             let mut handler = client.connect().await.unwrap();
             task::spawn_local(async move {
                 DiameterClient::handle(&mut handler).await;
diff --git a/examples/server.rs b/examples/server.rs
index 518510b..11f22b9 100644
--- a/examples/server.rs
+++ b/examples/server.rs
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ use diameter::transport::DiameterServerConfig;
 use diameter::CommandCode;
 use diameter::DiameterMessage;
 use std::fs;
-use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::Read;
+// use std::fs::File;
+// use std::io::Read;
 use std::io::Write;
 use std::thread;
 
diff --git a/src/transport/client.rs b/src/transport/client.rs
index 591c47c..30957cd 100644
--- a/src/transport/client.rs
+++ b/src/transport/client.rs
@@ -5,14 +5,21 @@ use crate::transport::Codec;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::ops::DerefMut;
 use std::sync::Arc;
-use tokio::net::tcp::OwnedReadHalf;
-use tokio::net::tcp::OwnedWriteHalf;
+use tokio::io::{AsyncRead, AsyncWrite};
 use tokio::net::TcpStream;
 use tokio::sync::oneshot;
 use tokio::sync::oneshot::Receiver;
 use tokio::sync::oneshot::Sender;
 use tokio::sync::Mutex;
 
+/// Configuration for a Diameter protocol client.
+///
+pub struct DiameterClientConfig {
+    pub use_tls: bool,
+    pub verify_cert: bool,
+    // pub native_tls: Option<native_tls::Identity>, // Future Implementation
+}
+
 /// A Diameter protocol client for sending and receiving Diameter messages.
 ///
 /// The client maintains a connection to a Diameter server and provides
@@ -25,8 +32,9 @@ use tokio::sync::Mutex;
 ///     seq_num: The next sequence number to use for a message.
 
 pub struct DiameterClient {
+    config: DiameterClientConfig,
     address: String,
-    writer: Option<Arc<Mutex<OwnedWriteHalf>>>,
+    writer: Option<Arc<Mutex<dyn AsyncWrite + Send + Unpin>>>,
     msg_caches: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<u32, Sender<DiameterMessage>>>>,
     seq_num: u32,
 }
@@ -42,8 +50,9 @@ impl DiameterClient {
     ///
     /// Returns:
     ///     A new instance of `DiameterClient`.
-    pub fn new(addr: &str) -> DiameterClient {
+    pub fn new(addr: &str, config: DiameterClientConfig) -> DiameterClient {
         DiameterClient {
+            config,
             address: addr.into(),
             writer: None,
             msg_caches: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
@@ -58,13 +67,39 @@ impl DiameterClient {
     pub async fn connect(&mut self) -> Result<ClientHandler> {
         let stream = TcpStream::connect(self.address.clone()).await?;
 
-        let (reader, writer) = stream.into_split();
-        let writer = Arc::new(Mutex::new(writer));
+        if self.config.use_tls {
+            let tls_connector = tokio_native_tls::TlsConnector::from(
+                native_tls::TlsConnector::builder()
+                    .danger_accept_invalid_certs(!self.config.verify_cert)
+                    .build()?,
+            );
+            let tls_stream = tls_connector.connect(&self.address.clone(), stream).await?;
+            let (reader, writer) = tokio::io::split(tls_stream);
 
-        self.writer = Some(writer);
+            // writer
+            let writer = Arc::new(Mutex::new(writer));
+            self.writer = Some(writer);
 
-        let msg_caches = Arc::clone(&self.msg_caches);
-        Ok(ClientHandler { reader, msg_caches })
+            // reader
+            let msg_caches = Arc::clone(&self.msg_caches);
+            Ok(ClientHandler {
+                reader: Box::new(reader),
+                msg_caches,
+            })
+        } else {
+            let (reader, writer) = tokio::io::split(stream);
+
+            // writer
+            let writer = Arc::new(Mutex::new(writer));
+            self.writer = Some(writer);
+
+            // reader
+            let msg_caches = Arc::clone(&self.msg_caches);
+            Ok(ClientHandler {
+                reader: Box::new(reader),
+                msg_caches,
+            })
+        }
     }
 
     /// Handles incoming Diameter messages.
@@ -77,11 +112,12 @@ impl DiameterClient {
     ///
     /// Example:
     ///    ```no_run
-    ///    use diameter::transport::client::{ClientHandler, DiameterClient};
+    ///    use diameter::transport::client::{ClientHandler, DiameterClient, DiameterClientConfig};
     ///
     ///    #[tokio::main]
     ///    async fn main() {
-    ///        let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868");
+    ///        let config = DiameterClientConfig { use_tls: false, verify_cert: false };
+    ///        let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868", config);
     ///        let mut handler = client.connect().await.unwrap();
     ///        tokio::spawn(async move {
     ///            DiameterClient::handle(&mut handler).await;
@@ -183,7 +219,8 @@ impl DiameterClient {
 /// A Diameter protocol client handler for receiving Diameter messages.
 ///
 pub struct ClientHandler {
-    reader: OwnedReadHalf,
+    // reader: ReadHalf<TcpStream>,
+    reader: Box<dyn AsyncRead + Send + Unpin>,
     msg_caches: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<u32, Sender<DiameterMessage>>>>,
 }
 
@@ -199,7 +236,7 @@ pub struct ClientHandler {
 pub struct DiameterRequest {
     request: DiameterMessage,
     receiver: Arc<Mutex<Option<Receiver<DiameterMessage>>>>,
-    writer: Arc<Mutex<OwnedWriteHalf>>,
+    writer: Arc<Mutex<dyn AsyncWrite + Send + Unpin>>,
 }
 
 impl DiameterRequest {
@@ -215,7 +252,7 @@ impl DiameterRequest {
     pub fn new(
         request: DiameterMessage,
         receiver: Receiver<DiameterMessage>,
-        writer: Arc<Mutex<OwnedWriteHalf>>,
+        writer: Arc<Mutex<dyn AsyncWrite + Send + Unpin>>,
     ) -> Self {
         DiameterRequest {
             request,
diff --git a/src/transport/mod.rs b/src/transport/mod.rs
index 2ad8e8a..709aa43 100644
--- a/src/transport/mod.rs
+++ b/src/transport/mod.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ pub mod experimental;
 pub mod server;
 
 pub use crate::transport::client::DiameterClient;
+pub use crate::transport::client::DiameterClientConfig;
 pub use crate::transport::server::DiameterServer;
 pub use crate::transport::server::DiameterServerConfig;
 
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::diameter::flags;
     use crate::diameter::{ApplicationId, CommandCode, DiameterMessage};
     use crate::transport::DiameterClient;
+    use crate::transport::DiameterClientConfig;
     use crate::transport::DiameterServer;
     use crate::transport::DiameterServerConfig;
 
@@ -120,7 +122,11 @@ mod tests {
         });
 
         // Diameter Client
-        let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868");
+        let client_config = DiameterClientConfig {
+            use_tls: false,
+            verify_cert: false,
+        };
+        let mut client = DiameterClient::new("localhost:3868", client_config);
         let mut handler = client.connect().await.unwrap();
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             DiameterClient::handle(&mut handler).await;
diff --git a/src/transport/server.rs b/src/transport/server.rs
index 39bba5d..793dc5f 100644
--- a/src/transport/server.rs
+++ b/src/transport/server.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use tokio::io::AsyncWriteExt;
 use tokio::net::TcpListener;
 
 /// Configuration for the Diameter server.
+///
 pub struct DiameterServerConfig {
     pub native_tls: Option<native_tls::Identity>,
 }