diff --git a/test/test_writer.py b/test/test_writer.py
index 597c24f9..7e8fbee7 100644
--- a/test/test_writer.py
+++ b/test/test_writer.py
@@ -687,6 +687,22 @@ def test_response_warc_1_1(self, is_gzip, builder_factory):
         assert '.' in recs[0].rec_headers['WARC-Date']
         assert len(recs[0].rec_headers['WARC-Date']) == 27
 
+    def test_response_digest_sha256(self, is_gzip, builder_factory):
+        writer = BufferWARCWriter(gzip=is_gzip, warc_version='WARC/1.1', digest_algorithm='sha256')
+
+        builder = builder_factory(writer, warc_version='WARC/1.1', digest_algorithm='sha256')
+        resp = sample_response(builder)
+        writer.write_record(resp)
+
+        stream = writer.get_stream()
+
+        reader = ArchiveIterator(stream)
+        recs = list(reader)
+
+        assert len(recs) == 1
+        assert recs[0].rec_headers.get('WARC-Block-Digest') == 'sha256:HB3IP2QLBZJ45JMKAYFDDVME5MTC2WX2JJLQZSJYR575CFMRDDHA===='
+        assert recs[0].rec_headers.get('WARC-Payload-Digest') == 'sha256:5DS36RD4GUWABAHBIREZJMGMD67HUJPT5JRXYXEJ6WK3NKK4SJJQ===='
+
     def _conv_to_streaming_record(self, record_buff, rec_type):
         # strip-off the two empty \r\n\r\n added at the end of uncompressed record
         record_buff = record_buff[:-4]
diff --git a/warcio/recordbuilder.py b/warcio/recordbuilder.py
index ca3c0890..490e72cb 100644
--- a/warcio/recordbuilder.py
+++ b/warcio/recordbuilder.py
@@ -28,12 +28,16 @@ class RecordBuilder(object):
         }
 
     NO_PAYLOAD_DIGEST_TYPES = ('warcinfo', 'revisit')
+    
+    # default digest algorithm
+    DIGEST_ALGORITHM = 'sha1'
 
 
-    def __init__(self, warc_version=None, header_filter=None):
+    def __init__(self, warc_version=None, header_filter=None, digest_algorithm=None):
         self.warc_version = self._parse_warc_version(warc_version)
 
         self.header_filter = header_filter
+        self.digest_algorithm = self._parse_digest_algorithm(digest_algorithm)
 
     def create_warcinfo_record(self, filename, info):
         warc_headers = StatusAndHeaders('', [], protocol=self.warc_version)
@@ -146,6 +150,11 @@ def _parse_warc_version(self, version):
             return version
 
         return 'WARC/' + version
+        
+    def _parse_digest_algorithm(self, algorithm):
+        if not algorithm:
+            return self.DIGEST_ALGORITHM
+        return algorithm
 
     @classmethod
     def _make_warc_id(cls):
@@ -221,9 +230,8 @@ def _iter_stream(stream):
 
             yield buf
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _create_digester():
-        return Digester('sha1')
+    def _create_digester(self):
+        return Digester(self.digest_algorithm)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _create_temp_file():
diff --git a/warcio/warcwriter.py b/warcio/warcwriter.py
index 6fb71be9..a99a0d05 100644
--- a/warcio/warcwriter.py
+++ b/warcio/warcwriter.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ class BaseWARCWriter(RecordBuilder):
 
     def __init__(self, gzip=True, *args, **kwargs):
         super(BaseWARCWriter, self).__init__(warc_version=kwargs.get('warc_version'),
-                                             header_filter=kwargs.get('header_filter'))
+                                             header_filter=kwargs.get('header_filter'),
+                                             digest_algorithm=kwargs.get('digest_algorithm'))
         self.gzip = gzip
         self.hostname = gethostname()