diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index dd375cd435..e8ae7011fa 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -935,7 +935,8 @@ Verifies the claims and signature of a JSON Web Token.
     past from now if expiration is not present. **Default:** 'false'
   - `ignoreNbf`: `<Boolean>` When true will not be validating the "nbf" claim value to be in the
     past from now. **Default:** 'false'
-  - `issuer`: `<string>` Expected issuer value. An exact match must be found in the payload.
+  - `issuer`: `<string>` &vert; `string[]` Expected issuer value(s). When string an exact match must
+    be found in the payload, when array at least one must be matched.
   - `jti`: `<string>` Expected jti value. An exact match must be found in the payload.
   - `maxAuthAge`: `<string>` When provided the payload is checked to have the "auth_time" claim and
     its value is validated, provided as timespan string e.g. `30m`, `24 hours`. See
diff --git a/lib/jwt/verify.js b/lib/jwt/verify.js
index 8af4b5fcfe..5941efe155 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/verify.js
+++ b/lib/jwt/verify.js
@@ -63,12 +63,15 @@ const validateOptions = ({
 
   isOptionString(maxTokenAge, 'options.maxTokenAge')
   isOptionString(subject, 'options.subject')
-  isOptionString(issuer, 'options.issuer')
   isOptionString(maxAuthAge, 'options.maxAuthAge')
   isOptionString(jti, 'options.jti')
   isOptionString(clockTolerance, 'options.clockTolerance')
   isOptionString(typ, 'options.typ')
 
+  if (issuer !== undefined && (isNotString(issuer) && isNotArrayOfStrings(issuer))) {
+    throw new TypeError('options.issuer must be a string or an array of strings')
+  }
+
   if (audience !== undefined && (isNotString(audience) && isNotArrayOfStrings(audience))) {
     throw new TypeError('options.audience must be a string or an array of strings')
   }
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ const validateTypes = ({ header, payload }, profile, options) => {
   isPayloadString(payload.jti, '"jti" claim', 'jti', profile === LOGOUTTOKEN || profile === ATJWT || !!options.jti)
   isPayloadString(payload.acr, '"acr" claim', 'acr')
   isPayloadString(payload.nonce, '"nonce" claim', 'nonce', !!options.nonce)
-  isPayloadString(payload.iss, '"iss" claim', 'iss', !!options.issuer)
+  isStringOrArrayOfStrings(payload.iss, 'iss', !!options.issuer)
   isPayloadString(payload.sub, '"sub" claim', 'sub', profile === IDTOKEN || profile === ATJWT || !!options.subject)
   isStringOrArrayOfStrings(payload.aud, 'aud', !!options.audience)
   isPayloadString(payload.azp, '"azp" claim', 'azp', profile === IDTOKEN && Array.isArray(payload.aud) && payload.aud.length > 1)
@@ -235,7 +238,7 @@ module.exports = (token, key, options = {}) => {
   const unix = epoch(now)
   validateTypes(decoded, profile, options)
 
-  if (issuer && decoded.payload.iss !== issuer) {
+  if (issuer && (typeof decoded.payload.iss !== 'string' || !(typeof issuer === 'string' ? [issuer] : issuer).includes(decoded.payload.iss))) {
     throw new JWTClaimInvalid('unexpected "iss" claim value', 'iss', 'check_failed')
   }
 
diff --git a/test/jwt/verify.test.js b/test/jwt/verify.test.js
index a752fd9fd5..9bd13aa602 100644
--- a/test/jwt/verify.test.js
+++ b/test/jwt/verify.test.js
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ test('options must be an object', t => {
 })
 
 test('options.clockTolerance must be a string', string, 'clockTolerance')
-test('options.issuer must be a string', string, 'issuer')
 test('options.jti must be a string', string, 'jti')
 test('options.profile must be a string', string, 'profile')
 test('options.maxAuthAge must be a string', string, 'maxAuthAge')
@@ -55,6 +54,17 @@ test('options.ignoreExp must be boolean', boolean, 'ignoreExp')
 test('options.ignoreNbf must be boolean', boolean, 'ignoreNbf')
 test('options.ignoreIat must be boolean', boolean, 'ignoreIat')
 
+test('options.issuer must be string or array of strings', t => {
+  ;['', false, [], Buffer, Buffer.from('foo'), 0, Infinity].forEach((val) => {
+    t.throws(() => {
+      JWT.verify(token, key, { issuer: val })
+    }, { instanceOf: TypeError, message: 'options.issuer must be a string or an array of strings' })
+    t.throws(() => {
+      JWT.verify(token, key, { issuer: [val] })
+    }, { instanceOf: TypeError, message: 'options.issuer must be a string or an array of strings' })
+  })
+})
+
 test('options.audience must be string or array of strings', t => {
   ;['', false, [], Buffer, Buffer.from('foo'), 0, Infinity].forEach((val) => {
     t.throws(() => {
@@ -116,7 +126,7 @@ test('options.ignoreIat & options.maxTokenAge may not be used together', t => {
   })
 })
 
-;['jti', 'acr', 'iss', 'nonce', 'sub', 'azp'].forEach((claim) => {
+;['jti', 'acr', 'nonce', 'sub', 'azp'].forEach((claim) => {
   test(`"${claim} must be a string when provided"`, t => {
     ;['', 0, 1, true, null, [], {}].forEach((val) => {
       const err = t.throws(() => {
@@ -130,7 +140,7 @@ test('options.ignoreIat & options.maxTokenAge may not be used together', t => {
   })
 })
 
-;['aud', 'amr'].forEach((claim) => {
+;['aud', 'amr', 'iss'].forEach((claim) => {
   test(`"${claim} must be a string when provided"`, t => {
     ;['', 0, 1, true, null, [], {}].forEach((val) => {
       let err
diff --git a/types/index.d.ts b/types/index.d.ts
index ba0948b59f..ca67c45ef1 100644
--- a/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/index.d.ts
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ export namespace JWT {
     ignoreIat?: boolean;
     maxTokenAge?: string;
     subject?: string;
-    issuer?: string;
+    issuer?: string | string[];
     maxAuthAge?: string;
     jti?: string;
     clockTolerance?: string;
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ export namespace JWT {
   function sign(payload: object, key: ProduceKeyInputWithNone, options?: SignOptions): string;
 
   interface VerifyProfileOptions<profile> {
-    issuer: string;
+    issuer: string | string[];
     audience: string | string[];
     profile?: profile;
   }