diff --git a/cas/stepcas/stepcas.go b/cas/stepcas/stepcas.go
index 9f94c6ae..51c5f687 100644
--- a/cas/stepcas/stepcas.go
+++ b/cas/stepcas/stepcas.go
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ func (s *StepCAS) CreateCertificate(req *apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest) (*apiv1
 	switch {
 	case req.CSR == nil:
 		return nil, errors.New("createCertificateRequest `csr` cannot be nil")
+	case req.Template == nil:
+		return nil, errors.New("createCertificateRequest `template` cannot be nil")
 	case req.Lifetime == 0:
 		return nil, errors.New("createCertificateRequest `lifetime` cannot be 0")
 	}
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ func (s *StepCAS) CreateCertificate(req *apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest) (*apiv1
 		info.ProvisionerName = p.Name
 	}
 
-	cert, chain, err := s.createCertificate(req.CSR, req.Lifetime, info)
+	cert, chain, err := s.createCertificate(req.CSR, req.Template, req.Lifetime, info)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -167,18 +169,18 @@ func (s *StepCAS) GetCertificateAuthority(*apiv1.GetCertificateAuthorityRequest)
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (s *StepCAS) createCertificate(cr *x509.CertificateRequest, lifetime time.Duration, raInfo *raInfo) (*x509.Certificate, []*x509.Certificate, error) {
-	sans := make([]string, 0, len(cr.DNSNames)+len(cr.EmailAddresses)+len(cr.IPAddresses)+len(cr.URIs))
-	sans = append(sans, cr.DNSNames...)
-	sans = append(sans, cr.EmailAddresses...)
-	for _, ip := range cr.IPAddresses {
+func (s *StepCAS) createCertificate(cr *x509.CertificateRequest, template *x509.Certificate, lifetime time.Duration, raInfo *raInfo) (*x509.Certificate, []*x509.Certificate, error) {
+	sans := make([]string, 0, len(template.DNSNames)+len(template.EmailAddresses)+len(template.IPAddresses)+len(template.URIs))
+	sans = append(sans, template.DNSNames...)
+	sans = append(sans, template.EmailAddresses...)
+	for _, ip := range template.IPAddresses {
 		sans = append(sans, ip.String())
 	}
-	for _, u := range cr.URIs {
+	for _, u := range template.URIs {
 		sans = append(sans, u.String())
 	}
 
-	commonName := cr.Subject.CommonName
+	commonName := template.Subject.CommonName
 	if commonName == "" && len(sans) > 0 {
 		commonName = sans[0]
 	}
diff --git a/cas/stepcas/stepcas_test.go b/cas/stepcas/stepcas_test.go
index b9dd9abd..f7746da0 100644
--- a/cas/stepcas/stepcas_test.go
+++ b/cas/stepcas/stepcas_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/authority/provisioner"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/ca"
 	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/cas/apiv1"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"go.step.sm/crypto/jose"
 	"go.step.sm/crypto/pemutil"
 	"go.step.sm/crypto/randutil"
@@ -631,6 +632,17 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 	jwkEnc := testJWKIssuer(t, caURL, testPassword)
 	x5cBad := testX5CIssuer(t, caURL, "bad-password")
 
+	testTemplate := &x509.Certificate{
+		Subject:        testCR.Subject,
+		DNSNames:       testCR.DNSNames,
+		EmailAddresses: testCR.EmailAddresses,
+		IPAddresses:    testCR.IPAddresses,
+		URIs:           testCR.URIs,
+	}
+
+	testOtherCR, err := x509util.CreateCertificateRequest("Test Certificate", []string{"test.example.com"}, testKey)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
 	type fields struct {
 		iss         stepIssuer
 		client      *ca.Client
@@ -648,6 +660,15 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{"ok", fields{x5c, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:      testCR,
+			Template: testTemplate,
+			Lifetime: time.Hour,
+		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
+			Certificate:      testCrt,
+			CertificateChain: []*x509.Certificate{testIssCrt},
+		}, false},
+		{"ok with different CSR", fields{x5c, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
+			CSR:      testOtherCR,
+			Template: testTemplate,
 			Lifetime: time.Hour,
 		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
 			Certificate:      testCrt,
@@ -655,6 +676,7 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 		}, false},
 		{"ok with password", fields{x5cEnc, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:      testCR,
+			Template: testTemplate,
 			Lifetime: time.Hour,
 		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
 			Certificate:      testCrt,
@@ -662,6 +684,7 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 		}, false},
 		{"ok jwk", fields{jwk, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:      testCR,
+			Template: testTemplate,
 			Lifetime: time.Hour,
 		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
 			Certificate:      testCrt,
@@ -669,6 +692,7 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 		}, false},
 		{"ok jwk with password", fields{jwkEnc, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:      testCR,
+			Template: testTemplate,
 			Lifetime: time.Hour,
 		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
 			Certificate:      testCrt,
@@ -676,6 +700,7 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 		}, false},
 		{"ok with provisioner", fields{jwk, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:         testCR,
+			Template:    testTemplate,
 			Lifetime:    time.Hour,
 			Provisioner: &apiv1.ProvisionerInfo{ID: "provisioner-id", Type: "ACME"},
 		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
@@ -684,6 +709,7 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 		}, false},
 		{"ok with server cert", fields{jwk, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:            testCR,
+			Template:       testTemplate,
 			Lifetime:       time.Hour,
 			IsCAServerCert: true,
 		}}, &apiv1.CreateCertificateResponse{
@@ -692,6 +718,12 @@ func TestStepCAS_CreateCertificate(t *testing.T) {
 		}, false},
 		{"fail CSR", fields{x5c, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
 			CSR:      nil,
+			Template: testTemplate,
+			Lifetime: time.Hour,
+		}}, nil, true},
+		{"fail Template", fields{x5c, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{
+			CSR:      testCR,
+			Template: nil,
 			Lifetime: time.Hour,
 		}}, nil, true},
 		{"fail lifetime", fields{x5c, client, testRootFingerprint}, args{&apiv1.CreateCertificateRequest{