diff --git a/msal/application.py b/msal/application.py
index b5911c98..efb3ca43 100644
--- a/msal/application.py
+++ b/msal/application.py
@@ -50,6 +50,22 @@ def decorate_scope(
     return list(decorated)
 
 
+def extract_certs(public_cert_content):
+    # Parses raw public certificate file contents and returns a list of strings
+    # Usage: headers = {"x5c": extract_certs(open("my_cert.pem").read())}
+    public_certificates = re.findall(
+        r'-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----(?P<cert_value>[^-]+)-----END CERTIFICATE-----',
+        public_cert_content, re.I)
+    if public_certificates:
+        return [cert.strip() for cert in public_certificates]
+    # The public cert tags are not found in the input,
+    # let's make best effort to exclude a private key pem file.
+    if "PRIVATE KEY" in public_cert_content:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "We expect your public key but detect a private key instead")
+    return [public_cert_content.strip()]
+
+
 class ClientApplication(object):
 
     def __init__(
@@ -59,7 +75,7 @@ def __init__(
             verify=True, proxies=None, timeout=None):
         """Create an instance of application.
 
-        :param client_id: Your app has a clinet_id after you register it on AAD.
+        :param client_id: Your app has a client_id after you register it on AAD.
         :param client_credential:
             For :class:`PublicClientApplication`, you simply use `None` here.
             For :class:`ConfidentialClientApplication`,
@@ -69,8 +85,12 @@ def __init__(
                 {
                     "private_key": "...-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----...",
                     "thumbprint": "A1B2C3D4E5F6...",
+                    "public_certificate": "...-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----..." (Optional. See below.)
                 }
 
+            public_certificate (optional) is public key certificate which is
+            sent through 'x5c' JWT header only for
+            subject name and issuer authentication to support cert auto rolls
         :param str authority:
             A URL that identifies a token authority. It should be of the format
             https://login.microsoftonline.com/your_tenant
@@ -113,9 +133,12 @@ def _build_client(self, client_credential, authority):
         if isinstance(client_credential, dict):
             assert ("private_key" in client_credential
                     and "thumbprint" in client_credential)
+            headers = {}
+            if 'public_certificate' in client_credential:
+                headers["x5c"] = extract_certs(client_credential['public_certificate'])
             signer = JwtSigner(
                 client_credential["private_key"], algorithm="RS256",
-                sha1_thumbprint=client_credential.get("thumbprint"))
+                sha1_thumbprint=client_credential.get("thumbprint"), headers=headers)
             client_assertion = signer.sign_assertion(
                 audience=authority.token_endpoint, issuer=self.client_id)
             client_assertion_type = Client.CLIENT_ASSERTION_TYPE_JWT
diff --git a/tests/test_application.py b/tests/test_application.py
index 3860c735..ff2bc859 100644
--- a/tests/test_application.py
+++ b/tests/test_application.py
@@ -99,6 +99,46 @@ def test_client_certificate(self):
         self.assertIn('access_token', result)
         self.assertCacheWorks(result, app.acquire_token_silent(scope, account=None))
 
+    def test_extract_a_tag_less_public_cert(self):
+        pem = "my_cert"
+        self.assertEqual(["my_cert"], extract_certs(pem))
+
+    def test_extract_a_tag_enclosed_cert(self):
+        pem = """
+        -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
+        my_cert
+        -----END CERTIFICATE-----
+        """
+        self.assertEqual(["my_cert"], extract_certs(pem))
+
+    def test_extract_multiple_tag_enclosed_certs(self):
+        pem = """
+        -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
+        my_cert1
+        -----END CERTIFICATE-----
+        
+        -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
+        my_cert2
+        -----END CERTIFICATE-----
+        """
+        self.assertEqual(["my_cert1", "my_cert2"], extract_certs(pem))
+
+    @unittest.skipUnless("public_certificate" in CONFIG, "Missing Public cert")
+    def test_subject_name_issuer_authentication(self):
+        assert ("private_key_file" in CONFIG
+                and "thumbprint" in CONFIG and "public_certificate" in CONFIG)
+        with open(os.path.join(THIS_FOLDER, CONFIG['private_key_file'])) as f:
+            pem = f.read()
+        with open(os.path.join(THIS_FOLDER, CONFIG['public_certificate'])) as f:
+            public_certificate = f.read()
+        app = ConfidentialClientApplication(
+            CONFIG['client_id'], authority=CONFIG["authority"],
+            client_credential={"private_key": pem, "thumbprint": CONFIG["thumbprint"],
+                               "public_certificate": public_certificate})
+        scope = CONFIG.get("scope", [])
+        result = app.acquire_token_for_client(scope)
+        self.assertIn('access_token', result)
+        self.assertCacheWorks(result, app.acquire_token_silent(scope, account=None))
 
 @unittest.skipUnless("client_id" in CONFIG, "client_id missing")
 class TestPublicClientApplication(Oauth2TestCase):