diff --git a/lib/devise/models/confirmable.rb b/lib/devise/models/confirmable.rb
index 6ce22c30f..e4ae57cdc 100644
--- a/lib/devise/models/confirmable.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/models/confirmable.rb
@@ -73,12 +73,16 @@ def self.required_fields(klass)
         required_methods
       end
 
-      # Confirm a user by setting it's confirmed_at to actual time. If the user
-      # is already confirmed, add an error to email field. If the user is invalid
-      # add errors
+      # Confirm a user by setting its confirmed_at to the current time. If the user
+      # is already confirmed, add an error to email field.
+      #
+      # Supported options:
+      # * `:ensure_valid` - When true, validations are run when saving the record (otherwise, validations are only run
+      #   on reconfirmation, to ensure e-mail uniqueness).
+      # * `:ignore_period` - When true, skips checking whether the confirmation period is expired.
       def confirm(args = {})
         pending_any_confirmation do
-          if confirmation_period_expired?
+          if !args[:ignore_period] && confirmation_period_expired?
             self.errors.add(:email, :confirmation_period_expired,
               period: Devise::TimeInflector.time_ago_in_words(self.class.confirm_within.ago))
             return false
diff --git a/test/models/confirmable_test.rb b/test/models/confirmable_test.rb
index 31a955e72..b4b4f4983 100644
--- a/test/models/confirmable_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/confirmable_test.rb
@@ -387,6 +387,18 @@ def confirm_user_by_token_with_confirmation_sent_at(confirmation_sent_at)
     admin.stubs(:valid?).returns(false)
     assert_not admin.confirm(ensure_valid: true)
   end
+
+  test 'should ignore the confirmation period when ignore_period is true' do
+    swap Devise, confirm_within: 3.days do
+      user = Timecop.freeze(4.days.ago) do
+        create_user
+      end
+      assert_not user.confirm
+      assert_not user.confirmed?
+      assert user.confirm(ignore_period: true)
+      assert user.confirmed?
+    end
+  end
 end
 
 class ReconfirmableTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase