diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 48a8b1aa7..417832fba 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def saml_settings
 
   settings.assertion_consumer_service_url = "http://#{request.host}/saml/finalize"
   settings.issuer                         = request.host
-  settings.idp_sso_target_url             = "https://app.onelogin.com/saml/signon/#{OneLoginAppId}"
+  settings.idp_sso_target_url             = "https://app.onelogin.com/trust/saml2/http-post/sso/#{OneLoginAppId}"
   settings.idp_cert_fingerprint           = OneLoginAppCertFingerPrint
   settings.name_identifier_format         = "urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:1.1:nameid-format:emailAddress"
   # Optional for most SAML IdPs
@@ -91,6 +91,33 @@ class SamlController < ApplicationController
   end
 end
 ```
+## Metadata Based Configuration
+
+The method above requires a little extra work to manually specify attributes about the IdP.  (And your SP application)  There's an easier method -- use a metadata exchange.  Metadata is just an XML file that defines the capabilities of both the IdP and the SP application.  It also contains the X.509 public
+key certificates which add to the trusted relationship.  The IdP administrator can also configure custom settings for an SP based on the metadata.
+
+Using ```idp_metadata_parser.parse_remote``` IdP metadata will be added to the settings withouth further ado.
+
+```ruby
+def saml_settings
+
+  idp_metadata_parser = OneLogin::RubySaml::IdpMetadataParser.new
+  # Returns OneLogin::RubySaml::Settings prepopulated with idp metadata
+  settings = idp_metadata_parser.parse_remote("https://example.com/auth/saml2/idp/metadata")
+
+  settings.assertion_consumer_service_url = "http://#{request.host}/saml/consume"
+  settings.issuer                         = request.host
+  settings.name_identifier_format         = "urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:1.1:nameid-format:emailAddress"
+  # Optional for most SAML IdPs
+  settings.authn_context = "urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:ac:classes:PasswordProtectedTransport"
+
+  settings
+end
+```
+The following attributes are set:
+  * id_sso_target_url
+  * idp_slo_target_url
+  * id_cert_fingerpint
 
 If are using saml:AttributeStatement to transfare metadata, like the user name, you can access all the attributes through response.attributes. It
 contains all the saml:AttributeStatement with its 'Name' as a indifferent key and the one saml:AttributeValue as value.
diff --git a/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/idp_metadata_parser.rb b/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/idp_metadata_parser.rb
index a87427676..afb4d60f3 100644
--- a/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/idp_metadata_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/idp_metadata_parser.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ class IdpMetadataParser
 
       attr_reader :document
 
+      def parse_remote(url, validate_cert = true)
+        idp_metadata = get_idp_metadata(url, validate_cert)
+        parse(idp_metadata)
+      end
+
       def parse(idp_metadata)
         @document = REXML::Document.new(idp_metadata)
 
@@ -29,6 +34,29 @@ def parse(idp_metadata)
 
       private
 
+      # Retrieve the remote IdP metadata from the URL or a cached copy
+      # # returns a REXML document of the metadata
+      def get_idp_metadata(url, validate_cert)
+        uri = URI.parse(url)
+        if uri.scheme == "http"
+          response = Net::HTTP.get_response(uri)
+          meta_text = response.body
+        elsif uri.scheme == "https"
+          http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
+          http.use_ssl = true
+          # Most IdPs will probably use self signed certs
+          if validate_cert
+            http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_PEER
+          else
+            http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
+          end
+          get = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri.request_uri)
+          response = http.request(get)
+          meta_text = response.body
+        end
+        meta_text
+      end
+
       def single_signon_service_url
         node = REXML::XPath.first(document, "/md:EntityDescriptor/md:IDPSSODescriptor/md:SingleSignOnService/@Location", { "md" => METADATA })
         node.value if node
diff --git a/test/idp_metadata_parser_test.rb b/test/idp_metadata_parser_test.rb
index daab729b3..2556e9e40 100644
--- a/test/idp_metadata_parser_test.rb
+++ b/test/idp_metadata_parser_test.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "test_helper"))
+require 'net/http'
+require 'net/https'
 
 class IdpMetadataParserTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
+  class MockResponse
+    attr_accessor :body
+  end
+
   context "parsing an IdP descriptor file" do
     should "extract settings details from xml" do
       idp_metadata_parser = OneLogin::RubySaml::IdpMetadataParser.new
@@ -14,4 +20,35 @@ class IdpMetadataParserTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  context "download and parse IdP descriptor file" do
+    setup do
+      mock_response = MockResponse.new
+      mock_response.body = idp_metadata
+      @url = "https://example.com"
+      uri = URI(@url)
+
+      @http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
+      Net::HTTP.expects(:new).returns(@http)
+      @http.expects(:request).returns(mock_response)
+    end
+
+
+    should "extract settings from remote xml" do
+      idp_metadata_parser = OneLogin::RubySaml::IdpMetadataParser.new
+      settings = idp_metadata_parser.parse_remote(@url)
+
+      assert_equal "https://example.hello.com/access/saml/login", settings.idp_sso_target_url
+      assert_equal "F1:3C:6B:80:90:5A:03:0E:6C:91:3E:5D:15:FA:DD:B0:16:45:48:72", settings.idp_cert_fingerprint
+      assert_equal "https://example.hello.com/access/saml/logout", settings.idp_slo_target_url
+      assert_equal OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_PEER, @http.verify_mode
+    end
+
+    should "accept self signed certificate if insturcted" do
+      idp_metadata_parser = OneLogin::RubySaml::IdpMetadataParser.new
+      settings = idp_metadata_parser.parse_remote(@url, false)
+
+      assert_equal OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE, @http.verify_mode
+    end
+  end
+
 end