--- a/req.py	Thu Mar 15 17:30:28 2012 +0100
+++ b/req.py	Mon Feb 27 15:24:14 2012 +0100
@@ -204,6 +204,9 @@
         parameters. Values are automatically URL quoted, and the
         publishing method to use may be specified or will be guessed.
 
+        if ``__secure__`` argument is True, the request will try to build a
+        https url.
+
         raises :exc:`ValueError` if None is found in arguments
         """
         # use *args since we don't want first argument to be "anonymous" to
@@ -222,7 +225,8 @@
                 method = 'view'
         base_url = kwargs.pop('base_url', None)
         if base_url is None:
-            base_url = self.base_url()
+            secure = kwargs.pop('__secure__', None)
+            base_url = self.base_url(secure=secure)
         if '_restpath' in kwargs:
             assert method == 'view', method
             path = kwargs.pop('_restpath')
@@ -415,8 +419,11 @@
             raise ValueError(self._('can\'t parse %(value)r (expected %(format)s)')
                              % {'value': value, 'format': format})
 
-    def base_url(self):
-        """return the root url of the instance"""
+    def base_url(self, secure=None):
+        """return the root url of the instance
+        """
+        if secure:
+            raise NotImplementedError()
         return self.vreg.config['base-url']
 
     # abstract methods to override according to the web front-end #############