diff --git a/electrum/commands.py b/electrum/commands.py
index 1ac6b306fc32..a5bae9cf84bc 100644
--- a/electrum/commands.py
+++ b/electrum/commands.py
@@ -909,6 +909,7 @@ def add_network_options(parser):
     parser.add_argument("-s", "--server", dest="server", default=None, help="set server host:port:protocol, where protocol is either t (tcp) or s (ssl)")
     parser.add_argument("-p", "--proxy", dest="proxy", default=None, help="set proxy [type:]host[:port], where type is socks4,socks5 or http")
     parser.add_argument("--noonion", action="store_true", dest="noonion", default=None, help="do not try to connect to onion servers")
+    parser.add_argument("--skipmerklecheck", action="store_true", dest="skipmerklecheck", default=False, help="Tolerate invalid merkle proofs from server")
 
 def add_global_options(parser):
     group = parser.add_argument_group('global options')
diff --git a/electrum/verifier.py b/electrum/verifier.py
index 247d124db585..a4c220cc341a 100644
--- a/electrum/verifier.py
+++ b/electrum/verifier.py
@@ -116,8 +116,11 @@ async def _request_and_verify_single_proof(self, tx_hash, tx_height):
         try:
             verify_tx_is_in_block(tx_hash, merkle_branch, pos, header, tx_height)
         except MerkleVerificationFailure as e:
-            self.print_error(str(e))
-            raise GracefulDisconnect(e)
+            if self.network.config.get("skipmerklecheck"):
+                self.print_error("skipping merkle proof check %s" % tx_hash)
+            else:
+                self.print_error(str(e))
+                raise GracefulDisconnect(e)
         # we passed all the tests
         self.merkle_roots[tx_hash] = header.get('merkle_root')
         try: self.requested_merkle.remove(tx_hash)