diff --git a/lib/session.js b/lib/session.js
index 25279a8..0cb2150 100644
--- a/lib/session.js
+++ b/lib/session.js
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ function Session (options) {
     return new Session(options);
   }
 
+  options = options || {};
+
   function session (socket, cb) {
-    session.middleware(socket, cb);
+    session.middleware(socket, cb, options.required != undefined ? options.required : true);
   }
 
   session.__proto__ = Session.prototype;
@@ -43,8 +45,6 @@ Session.init = function (session, options) {
 
   if (!(session instanceof Session)) return new Session(options);
 
-  options = options || {};
-
   debug('options', options);
 
   session.parser = options.parser || cookieParser();
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Session.init = function (session, options) {
  * @param {functin} fn
  */
 
-Session.prototype.middleware = function (socket, cb) {
+Session.prototype.middleware = function (socket, cb, required) {
   var self = this;
   var handshake = socket.handshake || {};
   if (handshake.headers && handshake.headers.cookie) {
@@ -79,7 +79,14 @@ Session.prototype.middleware = function (socket, cb) {
     });
   }
   else {
-    cb(new Error('Missing Cookies'));
+    if (required === true) {
+      // Session required, send error
+      cb(new Error('Missing Cookies'));
+    } else {
+      // Session optional, set handshake.session to null
+      handshake.session = null;
+      cb();
+    }
   }
 };