# Confused about the different certificate chains in staging **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [August 28, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/confused-about-the-different-certificate-chains-in-staging/204221 "2023-08-28T15:07:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 4
**Author:** ![Nummer378](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/nummer378/32/49862_2.png) [@Nummer378](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/Nummer378)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/confused-about-the-different-certificate-chains-in-staging/204221/4 "2023-08-28T19:25:04Z")
> [@upgradingdave](#): > > The certificate generated from Let's Encrypt appears to be Issued from the intermediate `(STAGING) Artificial Apricot R3`, which is issued from `(STAGING) Doctored Durian Root CA X3` All certs issued by STAGING R3 are issued by STAGING X1. There's a cross-sign for STAGING X1 to STAGING DST X3, which is used by default. ACME clients can be configured to use an alternate chain, but all that really does is leaving out the final cross-sign: You're still getting the same intermediate & leaf. The staging chain mirrors the current production chain (which is also why there's an expired cross-sign root). The default chain is going to [change next year](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/shortening-the-lets-encrypt-chain-of-trust/201580), though your current setup should continue to work. --- _[View the full topic](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/confused-about-the-different-certificate-chains-in-staging/204221)._