diff --git a/src/bitmessagemain.py b/src/bitmessagemain.py
index dc6615ee..0848fd2d 100644
--- a/src/bitmessagemain.py
+++ b/src/bitmessagemain.py
@@ -734,11 +734,15 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     singleCleanerThread.daemon = True  # close the main program even if there are threads left
     singleCleanerThread.start()
 
-    # Start the SMTP server 
-    smtpServer = bitmessageSMTPServer()
-
-    # And the POP3 server...
-    pop3Server = bitmessagePOP3Server(debug=True)
+    # Start the SMTP and POP3 server if necessary
+    smtpServer = None
+    pop3Server = None
+    try:
+        if shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'smtppop3enable') == 'true':
+            smtpServer = bitmessageSMTPServer()
+            pop3Server = bitmessagePOP3Server(debug=True)
+    except:
+        pass
 
     # And finally launch asyncore
     asyncoreThread = asyncoreThread()
diff --git a/src/class_pop3Server.py b/src/class_pop3Server.py
index f1ff54da..d49a7f7f 100644
--- a/src/class_pop3Server.py
+++ b/src/class_pop3Server.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from collections import deque
 import asyncore
 import shared
 import socket
+import ssl
 import sys
 
 from addresses import *
@@ -227,6 +228,12 @@ class bitmessagePOP3Server(asyncore.dispatcher):
         self.debug = debug
 
         pop3port = shared.config.getint('bitmessagesettings', 'pop3port')
+
+        self.ssl = shared.config.getboolean('bitmessagesettings', 'pop3ssl')
+        if self.ssl:
+            self.keyfile = shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'keyfile')
+            self.certfile = shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'certfile')
+
         self.create_socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
         self.bind(('127.0.0.1', pop3port))
         self.listen(10)
@@ -237,6 +244,8 @@ class bitmessagePOP3Server(asyncore.dispatcher):
 
     def handle_accept(self):
         sock, peer_address = self.accept()
+        if self.ssl:
+            sock = ssl.wrap_socket(sock, server_side=True, certfile=self.certfile, keyfile=self.keyfile, ssl_version=ssl.PROTOCOL_SSLv23)
         _ = bitmessagePOP3Connection(sock, peer_address, debug=self.debug)
 
 
diff --git a/src/class_smtpServer.py b/src/class_smtpServer.py
index 641941c9..7c7e3f17 100644
--- a/src/class_smtpServer.py
+++ b/src/class_smtpServer.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from pyelliptic.openssl import OpenSSL
 import shared
 import smtpd
+import ssl
 import time
 
 from addresses import *
@@ -10,12 +11,26 @@ class bitmessageSMTPServer(smtpd.SMTPServer):
     def __init__(self):
         # TODO - move to separate file/class
         smtpport = shared.config.getint('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpport')
-        smtpd.SMTPServer.__init__(self, ('127.0.0.1', smtpport), None)
 
+        self.ssl = shared.config.getboolean('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpssl')
+        if self.ssl:
+            self.keyfile = shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'keyfile')
+            self.certfile = shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'certfile')
+
+        smtpd.SMTPServer.__init__(self, ('127.0.0.1', smtpport), None)
         shared.printLock.acquire()
         print "SMTP server started"
         shared.printLock.release()
 
+    def handle_accept(self):
+        # Override SMTPServer's handle_accept so that we can start an SSL connection.
+        if not self.ssl:
+            return smtpd.SMTPServer.handle_accept(self)
+
+        sock, peer_address = self.accept()
+        sock = ssl.wrap_socket(sock, server_side=True, certfile=self.certfile, keyfile=self.keyfile, ssl_version=ssl.PROTOCOL_SSLv23)
+        channel = smtpd.SMTPChannel(self, sock, peer_address)
+
     def process_message(self, peer, mailfrom, rcpttos, data):
         #print("Peer", peer)
         #print("Mail From", mailfrom)
diff --git a/src/helper_startup.py b/src/helper_startup.py
index d58f90fa..43625ffa 100644
--- a/src/helper_startup.py
+++ b/src/helper_startup.py
@@ -28,8 +28,11 @@ def loadConfig():
             shared.config.add_section('bitmessagesettings')
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion', '6')
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'port', '8444')
+            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'smtppop3enable', 'false')
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpport', '10025')
+            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'smtpssl', 'false')
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'pop3port', '10110')
+            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'pop3ssl', 'false')
             shared.config.set(
                 'bitmessagesettings', 'timeformat', '%%a, %%d %%b %%Y  %%I:%%M %%p')
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'blackwhitelist', 'black')