diff --git a/lib/lnrpc/client.rb b/lib/lnrpc/client.rb
index 366ef21..a2983c4 100644
--- a/lib/lnrpc/client.rb
+++ b/lib/lnrpc/client.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ module Lnrpc
       self.address = options[:address] || DEFAULT_ADDRESS
 
       if options.has_key?(:credentials)
-        self.credentials = options[:credentials]
+        # if there are non hex values prvided we assume it's the certificate file as string otherwise we assume it's the hex value
+        self.credentials = options[:credentials].match?(/\H/) ? options[:credentials] : [options[:credentials]].pack('H*')
       elsif File.exists?(::File.expand_path(options[:credentials_path] || DEFAULT_CREDENTIALS_PATH))
         self.credentials = ::File.read(::File.expand_path(options[:credentials_path] || DEFAULT_CREDENTIALS_PATH))
       else