diff --git a/src/crypto/x509/verify.go b/src/crypto/x509/verify.go
index 6988ad7871..0d3de30bec 100644
--- a/src/crypto/x509/verify.go
+++ b/src/crypto/x509/verify.go
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func (h HostnameError) Error() string {
 
 // UnknownAuthorityError results when the certificate issuer is unknown
 type UnknownAuthorityError struct {
-	cert *Certificate
+	Cert *Certificate
 	// hintErr contains an error that may be helpful in determining why an
 	// authority wasn't found.
 	hintErr error
diff --git a/src/crypto/x509/verify_test.go b/src/crypto/x509/verify_test.go
index 5a7481fea1..15c4091444 100644
--- a/src/crypto/x509/verify_test.go
+++ b/src/crypto/x509/verify_test.go
@@ -290,10 +290,15 @@ func expectUsageError(t *testing.T, i int, err error) (ok bool) {
 }
 
 func expectAuthorityUnknown(t *testing.T, i int, err error) (ok bool) {
-	if _, ok := err.(UnknownAuthorityError); !ok {
+	e, ok := err.(UnknownAuthorityError)
+	if !ok {
 		t.Errorf("#%d: error was not UnknownAuthorityError: %s", i, err)
 		return false
 	}
+	if e.Cert == nil {
+		t.Errorf("#%d: error was UnknownAuthorityError, but missing Cert: %s", i, err)
+		return false
+	}
 	return true
 }
 
@@ -1284,7 +1289,7 @@ func TestUnknownAuthorityError(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("#%d: Unable to parse certificate -> %s", i, err)
 		}
 		uae := &UnknownAuthorityError{
-			cert:     c,
+			Cert:     c,
 			hintErr:  fmt.Errorf("empty"),
 			hintCert: c,
 		}