diff --git a/toot/api.py b/toot/api.py
index 79f88d4..ec57f0c 100644
--- a/toot/api.py
+++ b/toot/api.py
@@ -219,6 +219,6 @@ def get_notifications(app, user):
     return http.get(app, user, '/api/v1/notifications').json()
 
 
-def get_instance(domain):
-    url = "http://{}/api/v1/instance".format(domain)
+def get_instance(domain, scheme="https"):
+    url = "{}://{}/api/v1/instance".format(scheme, domain)
     return http.anon_get(url).json()
diff --git a/toot/auth.py b/toot/auth.py
index 51b4f0f..eb9e3c8 100644
--- a/toot/auth.py
+++ b/toot/auth.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from toot.output import print_out
 
 def register_app(domain, scheme='https'):
     print_out("Looking up instance info...")
-    instance = api.get_instance(domain)
+    instance = api.get_instance(domain, scheme)
 
     print_out("Found instance <blue>{}</blue> running Mastodon version <yellow>{}</yellow>".format(
         instance['title'], instance['version']))
diff --git a/toot/commands.py b/toot/commands.py
index ee34b0d..4a74dfc 100644
--- a/toot/commands.py
+++ b/toot/commands.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ def instance(app, user, args):
     assert_domain_exists(name)
 
     try:
-        instance = api.get_instance(name)
+        instance = api.get_instance(name, args.scheme)
         print_instance(instance)
     except NotFoundError:
         raise ConsoleError(
diff --git a/toot/console.py b/toot/console.py
index 3fdc386..4b0883f 100644
--- a/toot/console.py
+++ b/toot/console.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ READ_COMMANDS = [
                 "help": "instance domain (e.g. 'mastodon.social') or blank to use current",
                 "nargs": "?",
             }),
-
+            scheme_arg,
         ],
         require_auth=False,
     ),