diff --git a/pkg/cosign/verify.go b/pkg/cosign/verify.go
index 70846fd3af6d..e27522552852 100644
--- a/pkg/cosign/verify.go
+++ b/pkg/cosign/verify.go
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ type CheckOpts struct {
 
 	// RootCerts are the root CA certs used to verify a signature's chained certificate.
 	RootCerts *x509.CertPool
+	// IntermediateCerts are the optional intermediate CA certs used to verify a certificate chain.
+	IntermediateCerts *x509.CertPool
 	// CertEmail is the email expected for a certificate to be valid. The empty string means any certificate can be valid.
 	CertEmail string
 	// CertOidcIssuer is the OIDC issuer expected for a certificate to be valid. The empty string means any certificate can be valid.
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ func ValidateAndUnpackCert(cert *x509.Certificate, co *CheckOpts) (signature.Ver
 	}
 
 	// Now verify the cert, then the signature.
-	if err := TrustedCert(cert, co.RootCerts); err != nil {
+	if err := TrustedCert(cert, co.RootCerts, co.IntermediateCerts); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if co.CertEmail != "" {
@@ -783,13 +785,14 @@ func VerifySET(bundlePayload cbundle.RekorPayload, signature []byte, pub *ecdsa.
 	return nil
 }
 
-func TrustedCert(cert *x509.Certificate, roots *x509.CertPool) error {
+func TrustedCert(cert *x509.Certificate, roots *x509.CertPool, intermediates *x509.CertPool) error {
 	if _, err := cert.Verify(x509.VerifyOptions{
 		// THIS IS IMPORTANT: WE DO NOT CHECK TIMES HERE
 		// THE CERTIFICATE IS TREATED AS TRUSTED FOREVER
 		// WE CHECK THAT THE SIGNATURES WERE CREATED DURING THIS WINDOW
-		CurrentTime: cert.NotBefore,
-		Roots:       roots,
+		CurrentTime:   cert.NotBefore,
+		Roots:         roots,
+		Intermediates: intermediates,
 		KeyUsages: []x509.ExtKeyUsage{
 			x509.ExtKeyUsageCodeSigning,
 		},
diff --git a/pkg/cosign/verify_test.go b/pkg/cosign/verify_test.go
index a9e9b52264bc..a1bdb356c1a8 100644
--- a/pkg/cosign/verify_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cosign/verify_test.go
@@ -234,3 +234,50 @@ func TestCompareSigs(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestTrustedCertSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	rootCert, rootKey, _ := test.GenerateRootCa()
+	subCert, subKey, _ := test.GenerateSubordinateCa(rootCert, rootKey)
+	leafCert, _, _ := test.GenerateLeafCert("subject", "oidc-issuer", subCert, subKey)
+
+	rootPool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	rootPool.AddCert(rootCert)
+	subPool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	subPool.AddCert(subCert)
+
+	err := TrustedCert(leafCert, rootPool, subPool)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no error verifying certificate, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTrustedCertSuccessNoIntermediates(t *testing.T) {
+	rootCert, rootKey, _ := test.GenerateRootCa()
+	leafCert, _, _ := test.GenerateLeafCert("subject", "oidc-issuer", rootCert, rootKey)
+
+	rootPool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	rootPool.AddCert(rootCert)
+
+	err := TrustedCert(leafCert, rootPool, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no error verifying certificate, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// Tests that verification succeeds if both a root and subordinate pool are
+// present, but a chain is built with only the leaf and root certificates.
+func TestTrustedCertSuccessChainFromRoot(t *testing.T) {
+	rootCert, rootKey, _ := test.GenerateRootCa()
+	leafCert, _, _ := test.GenerateLeafCert("subject", "oidc-issuer", rootCert, rootKey)
+	subCert, _, _ := test.GenerateSubordinateCa(rootCert, rootKey)
+
+	rootPool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	rootPool.AddCert(rootCert)
+	subPool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	subPool.AddCert(subCert)
+
+	err := TrustedCert(leafCert, rootPool, subPool)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no error verifying certificate, got %v", err)
+	}
+}