diff --git a/libmproxy/proxy/config.py b/libmproxy/proxy/config.py
index f06e55cab..b14786552 100644
--- a/libmproxy/proxy/config.py
+++ b/libmproxy/proxy/config.py
@@ -133,12 +133,9 @@ def process_proxy_options(parser, options):
 
     if options.clientcerts:
         options.clientcerts = os.path.expanduser(options.clientcerts)
-        if not (os.path.exists(options.clientcerts) or
-                os.path.isdir(options.clientcerts) or
-                os.path.isfile(options.clientcerts)):
+        if not os.path.exists(options.clientcerts):
             return parser.error(
-                "Client certificate argument is not a file or directory, "
-                "or does not exist: %s" % options.clientcerts
+                "Client certificate path does not exist: %s" % options.clientcerts
             )
 
     if options.auth_nonanonymous or options.auth_singleuser or options.auth_htpasswd:
diff --git a/test/test_proxy.py b/test/test_proxy.py
index a0530c79d..b498c800b 100644
--- a/test/test_proxy.py
+++ b/test/test_proxy.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class TestProcessProxyOptions:
                 "--client-certs",
                 os.path.join(tutils.test_data.path("data/clientcert"), "client.pem"))
             self.assert_err(
-                "not a file or directory",
+                "path does not exist",
                 "--client-certs",
                 "nonexistent")
 
diff --git a/test/test_server.py b/test/test_server.py
index 09cfa3815..85c766eb4 100644
--- a/test/test_server.py
+++ b/test/test_server.py
@@ -314,21 +314,24 @@ class TestHTTPAuth(tservers.HTTPProxTest):
 class TestHTTPS(tservers.HTTPProxTest, CommonMixin, TcpMixin):
     ssl = True
     ssloptions = pathod.SSLOptions(request_client_cert=True)
-    clientcerts = True
-
-    def test_clientcert(self):
-        self.config.clientcerts = os.path.join(
-            tutils.test_data.path("data/clientcert"), "client.pem")
-        f = self.pathod("304")
-        assert f.status_code == 304
-        assert self.server.last_log()["request"]["clientcert"]["keyinfo"]
-
-    def test_clientcerts(self):
-        self.config.clientcerts = tutils.test_data.path("data/clientcert")
-        f = self.pathod("304")
-        assert f.status_code == 304
-        assert self.server.last_log()["request"]["clientcert"]["keyinfo"]
 
+    def test_clientcert_file(self):
+        try:
+            self.config.clientcerts = os.path.join(
+                tutils.test_data.path("data/clientcert"), "client.pem")
+            f = self.pathod("304")
+            assert f.status_code == 304
+            assert self.server.last_log()["request"]["clientcert"]["keyinfo"]
+        finally:
+            self.config.clientcerts = None
+    def test_clientcert_dir(self):
+        try:
+            self.config.clientcerts = tutils.test_data.path("data/clientcert")
+            f = self.pathod("304")
+            assert f.status_code == 304
+            assert self.server.last_log()["request"]["clientcert"]["keyinfo"]
+        finally:
+            self.config.clientcerts = None
     def test_error_post_connect(self):
         p = self.pathoc()
         assert p.request("get:/:i0,'invalid\r\n\r\n'").status_code == 400
diff --git a/test/tservers.py b/test/tservers.py
index 8e60df603..5963667b5 100644
--- a/test/tservers.py
+++ b/test/tservers.py
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ class ProxTestBase(object):
     # Test Configuration
     ssl = None
     ssloptions = False
-    clientcerts = False
     no_upstream_cert = False
     authenticator = None
     masterclass = TestMaster
@@ -130,7 +129,6 @@ class ProxTestBase(object):
             no_upstream_cert = cls.no_upstream_cert,
             cadir = cls.cadir,
             authenticator = cls.authenticator,
-            clientcerts = tutils.test_data.path("data/clientcert") if cls.clientcerts else None
         )