Index: configure.in
==================================================================
--- configure.in
+++ configure.in
@@ -113,10 +113,22 @@
 dnl Find "xxd" so we can build the tls.tcl.h file
 AC_CHECK_PROG([XXD], [xxd], [xxd], [__xxd__not__found])
 
 dnl Find "pkg-config" since we need to use it
 AC_CHECK_TOOL([PKGCONFIG], [pkg-config], [false])
+
+dnl Determine if we have been asked to use a fast path if possible
+tcltls_ssl_fastpath='yes'
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([ssl-fastpath], AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-ssl-fast-path], [disable using the underlying file descriptor for talking directly to the SSL library]), [
+	if test "$enableval" = 'no'; then
+		tcltls_ssl_fastpath='no'
+	fi
+])
+
+if test "$tcltls_ssl_fastpath" = 'yes'; then
+	AC_DEFINE(TCLTLS_SSL_USE_FASTPATH, [1], [Define this to enable using the underlying file descriptor for talking directly to the SSL library])
+fi
 
 dnl Determine if we have been asked to statically link to the SSL library
 TCLEXT_TLS_STATIC_SSL='no'
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([static-ssl], AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-static-ssl], [enable statically linking to the specified SSL library]), [
 	if test "$enableval" = 'yes'; then

Index: tlsBIO.c
==================================================================
--- tlsBIO.c
+++ tlsBIO.c
@@ -63,10 +63,11 @@
 		dprintf("Asked to setup a NULL state, just creating the initial configuration");
 
 		return(NULL);
 	}
 
+#ifdef TCLTLS_SSL_USE_FASTPATH
 	/*
 	 * If the channel can be mapped back to a file descriptor, just use the file descriptor
 	 * with the SSL library since it will likely be optimized for this.
 	 */
 	parentChannel = Tls_GetParent(statePtr);
@@ -91,17 +92,20 @@
 	}
 
 	if (validParentChannelFd) {
 		dprintf("We found a shortcut, this channel is backed by a file descriptor: %i", parentChannelFdIn);
 		bio = BIO_new_socket(parentChannelFd, flags);
-	} else {
-		dprintf("Falling back to Tcl I/O for this channel");
-		bio = BIO_new(BioMethods);
-		BIO_set_data(bio, statePtr);
-		BIO_set_shutdown(bio, flags);
-		BIO_set_init(bio, 1);
+		return(bio);
 	}
+
+	dprintf("Falling back to Tcl I/O for this channel");
+#endif
+
+	bio = BIO_new(BioMethods);
+	BIO_set_data(bio, statePtr);
+	BIO_set_shutdown(bio, flags);
+	BIO_set_init(bio, 1);
 
 	return(bio);
 }
 
 static int BioWrite(BIO *bio, CONST char *buf, int bufLen) {