diff --git a/packages/pg-connection-string/index.js b/packages/pg-connection-string/index.js
index c07b146a9..995ff0684 100644
--- a/packages/pg-connection-string/index.js
+++ b/packages/pg-connection-string/index.js
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ function parse(str) {
     config.ssl = false
   }
 
-  if (config.sslcert || config.sslkey || config.sslrootcert) {
+  if (config.sslcert || config.sslkey || config.sslrootcert || config.sslmode) {
     config.ssl = {}
   }
 
@@ -90,11 +90,9 @@ function parse(str) {
     case 'require':
     case 'verify-ca':
     case 'verify-full': {
-      config.ssl = config.ssl || true
       break
     }
     case 'no-verify': {
-      config.ssl = config.ssl || {}
       config.ssl.rejectUnauthorized = false
       break
     }
diff --git a/packages/pg-connection-string/test/parse.js b/packages/pg-connection-string/test/parse.js
index 9a88f1d09..910d26f7e 100644
--- a/packages/pg-connection-string/test/parse.js
+++ b/packages/pg-connection-string/test/parse.js
@@ -258,25 +258,25 @@ describe('parse', function () {
   it('configuration parameter sslmode=prefer', function () {
     var connectionString = 'pg:///?sslmode=prefer'
     var subject = parse(connectionString)
-    subject.ssl.should.eql(true)
+    subject.ssl.should.eql({})
   })
 
   it('configuration parameter sslmode=require', function () {
     var connectionString = 'pg:///?sslmode=require'
     var subject = parse(connectionString)
-    subject.ssl.should.eql(true)
+    subject.ssl.should.eql({})
   })
 
   it('configuration parameter sslmode=verify-ca', function () {
     var connectionString = 'pg:///?sslmode=verify-ca'
     var subject = parse(connectionString)
-    subject.ssl.should.eql(true)
+    subject.ssl.should.eql({})
   })
 
   it('configuration parameter sslmode=verify-full', function () {
     var connectionString = 'pg:///?sslmode=verify-full'
     var subject = parse(connectionString)
-    subject.ssl.should.eql(true)
+    subject.ssl.should.eql({})
   })
 
   it("configuration parameter sslmode=require doesn't overwrite sslrootcert=/path/to/ca", function () {