diff --git a/cas-client-core/src/main/java/org/jasig/cas/client/util/CommonUtils.java b/cas-client-core/src/main/java/org/jasig/cas/client/util/CommonUtils.java
index b483c56..2e96283 100644
--- a/cas-client-core/src/main/java/org/jasig/cas/client/util/CommonUtils.java
+++ b/cas-client-core/src/main/java/org/jasig/cas/client/util/CommonUtils.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
 import org.jasig.cas.client.proxy.ProxyGrantingTicketStorage;
 import org.jasig.cas.client.ssl.HttpURLConnectionFactory;
+import org.jasig.cas.client.ssl.HttpsURLConnectionFactory;
 import org.jasig.cas.client.validation.ProxyList;
 import org.jasig.cas.client.validation.ProxyListEditor;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -55,6 +56,8 @@ public final class CommonUtils {
      */
     private static final String PARAM_PROXY_GRANTING_TICKET = "pgtId";
 
+    private static final HttpURLConnectionFactory DEFAULT_URL_CONNECTION_FACTORY = new HttpsURLConnectionFactory();
+
     private CommonUtils() {
         // nothing to do
     }
@@ -348,6 +351,19 @@ public final class CommonUtils {
         return safeGetParameter(request, parameter, Arrays.asList("logoutRequest"));
     }
 
+
+    /**
+     * Contacts the remote URL and returns the response.
+     *
+     * @param constructedUrl the url to contact.
+     * @param encoding the encoding to use.
+     * @return the response.
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static String getResponseFromServer(final URL constructedUrl, final String encoding) {
+        return getResponseFromServer(constructedUrl, DEFAULT_URL_CONNECTION_FACTORY, encoding);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Contacts the remote URL and returns the response.
      *