diff --git a/doc/10-icinga-template-library.md b/doc/10-icinga-template-library.md
index 0708c9760..907d89831 100644
--- a/doc/10-icinga-template-library.md
+++ b/doc/10-icinga-template-library.md
@@ -3534,6 +3534,7 @@ esxi_hardware_host      | **Required.** Specifies the host to monitor. Defaults
 esxi_hardware_user      | **Required.** Specifies the user for polling. Must be a local user of the root group on the system. Can also be provided as a file path file:/path/to/.passwdfile, then first string of file is used.
 esxi_hardware_pass      | **Required.** Password of the user. Can also be provided as a file path file:/path/to/.passwdfile, then second string of file is used.
 esxi_hardware_port      | **Optional.** Specifies the CIM port to connect to. Defaults to 5989.
+esxi_hardware_sslproto  | **Optional.** Specifies the SSL/TLS protocol to use. Defaults to local openssl config.
 esxi_hardware_vendor    | **Optional.** Defines the vendor of the server: "auto", "dell", "hp", "ibm", "intel", "unknown" (default).
 esxi_hardware_html      | **Optional.** Add web-links to hardware manuals for Dell servers (use your country extension). Only useful with **esxi_hardware_vendor** = dell.
 esxi_hardware_ignore    | **Optional.** Comma separated list of CIM elements to ignore.
diff --git a/itl/plugins-contrib.d/virtualization.conf b/itl/plugins-contrib.d/virtualization.conf
index 19a249db8..0f2a7aab3 100644
--- a/itl/plugins-contrib.d/virtualization.conf
+++ b/itl/plugins-contrib.d/virtualization.conf
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ object CheckCommand "esxi_hardware" {
 			value = "$esxi_hardware_port$"
 			description = "cim port"
 		}
+		"-S" = {
+			value = "$esxi_hardware_sslproto$"
+			description = "Overwrite system default of SSL/TLS protocol to use. Must be one of: SSLv2, SSLv3, TLSv1, TLSv1.1, TLSv1.2, TLSv1.3"
+		}
 		"-V" = {
 			value = "$esxi_hardware_vendor$"
 			description = "Vendor code: auto, dell, hp, ibm, intel, or unknown"