diff --git a/config.ini.sample b/config.ini.sample
index 34d1e67..4626cb5 100644
--- a/config.ini.sample
+++ b/config.ini.sample
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ proxy_file = false
 threads = 10
 timeout = 15
 submit_after = 200
+use_ssl = false
 
 [proxyfind]
 search = true
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index ee03201..ccb254d 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ _loaded = False
 
 def load():
 	if _loaded: return
-	global database, maxfail, search, torhosts, watchd_threads, checktime, timeout, read_timeout, submit_after
+	global database, maxfail, search, torhosts, watchd_threads, checktime, timeout, read_timeout, submit_after, use_ssl
 
 	## read the config files
 	parser = SafeConfigParser()
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def load():
 	watchd_threads = parser.getint('watcherd', 'threads')
 	timeout = parser.getint('watcherd', 'timeout')
 	submit_after = parser.getint('watcherd', 'submit_after')
+	use_ssl = parser.getboolean('watcherd', 'use_ssl')
 
 	# allow overriding select items from the commandline
 	import argparse
diff --git a/proxywatchd.py b/proxywatchd.py
index d69adb4..d419c14 100644
--- a/proxywatchd.py
+++ b/proxywatchd.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class WorkerJob():
 	def connect_socket(self):
 		srv = random.choice(config.servers).strip()
 		protos = ['http', 'socks5', 'socks4'] if self.proto is None else [self.proto]
+		server_port = 6697 if config.use_ssl else 6667
 
 		for proto in protos:
 			torhost = random.choice(config.torhosts)
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ class WorkerJob():
 			]
 
 			try:
-				sock = rocksock.Rocksock(host=srv, port=6697, ssl=True, proxies=proxies, timeout=config.timeout)
+				sock = rocksock.Rocksock(host=srv, port=server_port, ssl=config.use_ssl, proxies=proxies, timeout=config.timeout)
 				sock.connect()
 				sock.send('%s\n' % random.choice(['NICK', 'USER', 'JOIN', 'MODE', 'PART', 'INVITE', 'KNOCK', 'WHOIS', 'WHO', 'NOTICE', 'PRIVMSG', 'PING', 'QUIT']))
 				return sock, proto, duration, torhost, srv, 0