diff --git a/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt b/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt
index 4d822505..1d54a4e9 100644
--- a/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/lasso/lasso-sections.txt
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ lasso_provider_get_metadata_list_for_role
 lasso_provider_get_metadata_keys_for_role
 lasso_provider_get_roles
 lasso_provider_match_conformance
+lasso_provider_set_protocol_conformance
 <SUBSECTION Standard>
 LASSO_PROVIDER
 LASSO_IS_PROVIDER
diff --git a/lasso/id-ff/provider.c b/lasso/id-ff/provider.c
index 5344cf39..2a27baa6 100644
--- a/lasso/id-ff/provider.c
+++ b/lasso/id-ff/provider.c
@@ -969,6 +969,32 @@ lasso_provider_get_protocol_conformance(const LassoProvider *provider)
 	return provider->private_data->conformance;
 }
 
+/**
+ * lasso_provider_set_protocol_conformance:
+ * @provider: a #LassoProvider object
+ * @protocol_conformance: #LassoProtocolConformance enumerated value.
+ *
+ * Normally the protocol conformance is set when the metadata for the
+ * provider is loaded because the metadata defines the type of
+ * server. However some #LassoServer variants do not have metadata
+ * (e.g. ECP) therefore instead of loading the metadata it is
+ * necessary to explicitly set the protocol conformance because parts
+ * of the Lasso library dispatch based on the protocol conformance.
+ * Without the protocol conformance being set it is likely the wrong
+ * code will execute.
+ *
+ * **WARNING**, do not manually set the protocol conformance if
+ * metadata has been loaded, metadata is the final arbiter of protocol
+ * conformance.
+ *
+ * Return value: 0 on success; another value if an error occured.
+ **/
+void
+lasso_provider_set_protocol_conformance(LassoProvider *provider, LassoProtocolConformance protocol_conformance)
+{
+	provider->private_data->conformance = protocol_conformance;
+}
+
 gboolean
 _lasso_provider_load_metadata_from_buffer(LassoProvider *provider, const gchar *metadata, int length)
 {
diff --git a/lasso/id-ff/provider.h b/lasso/id-ff/provider.h
index 1da17591..5421f3c7 100644
--- a/lasso/id-ff/provider.h
+++ b/lasso/id-ff/provider.h
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ LASSO_EXPORT xmlNode* lasso_provider_get_organization(const LassoProvider *provi
 LASSO_EXPORT LassoProtocolConformance lasso_provider_get_protocol_conformance(
 		const LassoProvider *provider);
 
+LASSO_EXPORT void lasso_provider_set_protocol_conformance(LassoProvider *provider,
+														  LassoProtocolConformance protocol_conformance);
+
 LASSO_EXPORT void lasso_provider_set_encryption_mode(LassoProvider *provider,
 		LassoEncryptionMode encryption_mode);