diff --git a/src/crypto.rs b/src/crypto.rs
index 110de2e..81bbda1 100644
--- a/src/crypto.rs
+++ b/src/crypto.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ use base64;
 use ring::{rand, digest, hmac, signature};
 use ring::constant_time::verify_slices_are_equal;
 use untrusted;
+use std::str::FromStr;
 
-use errors::{Result, ErrorKind};
+use errors::{Result, Error, ErrorKind, new_error};
 
 
 /// The algorithms supported for signing/verifying
@@ -32,6 +33,21 @@ impl Default for Algorithm {
     }
 }
 
+impl FromStr for Algorithm {
+    type Err = Error;
+    fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self> {
+        match s {
+            "HS256" => Ok(Algorithm::HS256),
+            "HS384" => Ok(Algorithm::HS384),
+            "HS512" => Ok(Algorithm::HS512),
+            "RS256" => Ok(Algorithm::HS256),
+            "RS384" => Ok(Algorithm::HS384),
+            "RS512" => Ok(Algorithm::HS512),
+            _ => Err(new_error(ErrorKind::InvalidAlgorithmName)),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// The actual HS signing + encoding
 fn sign_hmac(alg: &'static digest::Algorithm, key: &[u8], signing_input: &str) -> Result<String> {
     let signing_key = hmac::SigningKey::new(alg, key);
diff --git a/src/errors.rs b/src/errors.rs
index 2f85b5c..6ff1f1d 100644
--- a/src/errors.rs
+++ b/src/errors.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ pub enum ErrorKind {
     InvalidSignature,
     /// When the secret given is not a valid RSA key
     InvalidRsaKey,
+    /// When the algorithm from string doesn't match the one passed to `from_str`
+    InvalidAlgorithmName,
 
     // validation error
 
diff --git a/tests/lib.rs b/tests/lib.rs
index 98b926b..740d5c0 100644
--- a/tests/lib.rs
+++ b/tests/lib.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ extern crate chrono;
 
 use jsonwebtoken::{encode, decode, decode_header, dangerous_unsafe_decode, Algorithm, Header, sign, verify, Validation};
 use chrono::Utc;
+use std::str::FromStr;
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct Claims {
@@ -152,3 +153,14 @@ fn does_validation_in_right_order() {
     println!("{:?}", res);
     //assert!(res.is_ok());
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn generate_algorithm_enum_from_str() {
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("HS256").is_ok());
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("HS384").is_ok());
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("HS512").is_ok());
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("RS256").is_ok());
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("RS384").is_ok());
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("RS512").is_ok());
+    assert!(Algorithm::from_str("").is_err());
+}