diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm
index 69e646ba2..9b6e9ee49 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset.pm
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ sub checkView {
 	my $self = shift;
 	return $self->session->privilege->noAccess() unless $self->canView;
 	my ($conf, $env, $var, $http) = $self->session->quick(qw(config env var http));
-    if ($conf->get("sslEnabled") && $self->get("encryptPage") && $env->get("HTTPS") ne "on" && !$env->get("SSLPROXY")) {
+    if ($conf->get("sslEnabled") && $self->get("encryptPage") && ! $env->sslRequest) {
         # getUrl already changes url to https if 'encryptPage'
         $http->setRedirect($self->getUrl);
         $http->sendHeader;
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Form/Captcha.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Form/Captcha.pm
index ebfc4a855..deb9832df 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Form/Captcha.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Form/Captcha.pm
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ sub toHtml {
         my $env = $self->session->env;
         my $pubKey = $self->session->setting->get('recaptchaPublicKey');
         my $server = "http://api.recaptcha.net";
-        if ($env->get("HTTPS") eq "on" || $env->get("SSLPROXY")) {
+        if ($env->sslRequest) {
             $server = "http://api-secure.recaptcha.net";
         }
         return
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Session/Env.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Session/Env.pm
index 727164599..a147e51f7 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Session/Env.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Session/Env.pm
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ These methods are available from this package:
 
 =head2 callerIsSearchSite ( )
 
-returns true if the remote address matches a site which is a known indexer or spider.
+Returns true if the remote address matches a site which is a known indexer or spider.
 
 =cut
 
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ sub callerIsSearchSite {
 
 =head2 clientIsSpider ( )
 
-returns true is the client/agent is a spider/indexer or some other non-human interface
+Returns true is the client/agent is a spider/indexer or some other non-human interface, determined
+by checking the user agent against a list of known spiders.
 
 =cut
 
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ sub new {
 
 =head2 requestNotViewed ( )
 
-returns true is the client/agent is a spider/indexer or some other non-human interface
+Returns true is the client/agent is a spider/indexer or some other non-human interface
 
 =cut
 
@@ -181,6 +182,19 @@ sub requestNotViewed {
 
 }
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 sslRequest ( )
+
+Returns true if a https request was made.
+
+=cut
+
+sub sslRequest {
+    my $self = shift;
+    return ($self->get('HTTPS') eq 'on' || $self->get('SSLPROXY') ? 1 : 0);
+}
+
 
 1;
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Session/Url.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Session/Url.pm
index 03cc7e3ad..fe6a2daf1 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Session/Url.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Session/Url.pm
@@ -148,11 +148,7 @@ sub extras {
     my $cdnCfg = $self->session->config->get('cdn');
     if ( $cdnCfg and $cdnCfg->{'enabled'} and $cdnCfg->{'extrasCdn'} ) {
         unless ( $path and grep $path =~ m/$_/, @{ $cdnCfg->{'extrasExclude'} } ) {
-            if ($cdnCfg->{'extrasSsl'}
-                and (  $self->session->env->get('HTTPS') eq 'on'
-                    or $self->session->env->get('SSLPROXY') )
-                )
-            {
+            if ($cdnCfg->{'extrasSsl'} && $self->session->env->sslRequest) {
                 $url = $cdnCfg->{'extrasSsl'};
             }
             else {
@@ -291,7 +287,7 @@ sub forceSecureConnection {
     my $url = shift;
     my ($conf, $env, $http) = $self->session->quick(qw(config env http));
    
-    if ($conf->get("sslEnabled") && $env->get("HTTPS") ne "on" && !$env->get("SSLPROXY")){
+    if ($conf->get("sslEnabled") && !$env->sslRequest){
    
         $url = $self->session->url->page if(! $url);
         $url = $env->get('QUERY_STRING') if(! $url);
@@ -354,7 +350,7 @@ sub getSiteURL {
                 $site = $sitenames->[0];
         }
         my $proto = "http://";
-        if ($self->session->env->get("HTTPS") eq "on") {
+        if ($self->session->env->sslRequest) {
                 $proto = "https://";
         }
 		my $port = "";
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Storage.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Storage.pm
index 6bb1fc50a..c07dbd7f0 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Storage.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Storage.pm
@@ -1273,11 +1273,7 @@ sub getUrl {
         and -e $self->getPath . '/.cdn' )
     {
         my $sep = '/';    # separator, if not already present trailing
-        if ($cdnCfg->{'sslAlt'}
-            and (  $self->session->env->get('HTTPS') eq 'on'
-                or $self->session->env->get('SSLPROXY') )
-            )
-        {
+        if ($cdnCfg->{'sslAlt'} && $self->session->env->sslRequest) {
             if ( $cdnCfg->{'sslUrl'} ) {
                 substr( $cdnCfg->{'sslUrl'}, -1 ) eq '/' and $sep = '';
                 $url = $cdnCfg->{'sslUrl'} . $sep . $self->getDirectoryId;