diff --git a/robotframework_pykafka/kafka_helper.py b/robotframework_pykafka/kafka_helper.py
index ccaa494..a31b198 100644
--- a/robotframework_pykafka/kafka_helper.py
+++ b/robotframework_pykafka/kafka_helper.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import time
 from pykafka import KafkaClient
 from pykafka.common import OffsetType
-from utils import *
+from robotframework_pykafka.utils import *
 
 ##################################################
 # Kafka helper class.
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class kafka_helper:
     # 1. constructor parameters if they are non-None and non-empty
     # 2. environment variables KAFKA_HOST and KAFKA_BROKER_VERSION
     # 3. default values (localhost and 2.3)
-    def __init__(self, kafkaBrokerHostname = None, kafkaBrokerVersion = None):
+    def __init__(self, kafkaBrokerHostname=None, kafkaBrokerVersion=None, cafile=None):
 
         # Determine the kafka host
         self._kafkaHost = ""
@@ -45,8 +45,22 @@ def __init__(self, kafkaBrokerHostname = None, kafkaBrokerVersion = None):
             except Exception as e:
                 raise e
 
+        self._cafile = ""
+        if cafile:
+            self._cafile = cafile
+        else:
+            try:
+                self._cafile = os.environ['CAFILE']
+            except KeyError:
+                pass
+           
         # Get a kafka client
-        self._client = KafkaClient(hosts = self._kafkaHost, broker_version = self._kafkaBrokerVersion)
+        if self._cafile:
+            config = SslConfig(cafile=self._cafile)
+            self._client = KafkaClient(hosts=self._kafkaHost, broker_version=self._kafkaBrokerVersion,
+                                       ssl_config=config)
+        else:
+            self._client = KafkaClient(hosts=self._kafkaHost, broker_version=self._kafkaBrokerVersion)
 
         self._producers = dict()
 
diff --git a/robotframework_pykafka/robotframework_pykafka.py b/robotframework_pykafka/robotframework_pykafka.py
index 6c8218e..c6f4f90 100644
--- a/robotframework_pykafka/robotframework_pykafka.py
+++ b/robotframework_pykafka/robotframework_pykafka.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/python3
 
-from kafka_helper import *
+from robotframework_pykafka.kafka_helper import *
 from robot.api import logger
 from robot.api.deco import keyword