diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py b/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py
index a8e5aa8..4551a44 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python
 from __future__ import print_function
 from twisted.python.log import startLogging, err
-from twisted.internet import protocol, reactor
+from twisted.internet import protocol, reactor, ssl
 from twisted.internet.task import LoopingCall
 from twisted.internet.error import (ConnectionLost, ConnectionAborted,
                                     ConnectionClosed, ConnectionDone)
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from twisted.python import failure
 from twisted.protocols import amp
 from twisted.internet.protocol import ClientFactory
 from twisted.internet.endpoints import TCP4ClientEndpoint
+from twisted.internet.ssl import ClientContextFactory
 from jmbase import commands
 from sys import stdout
 
@@ -248,6 +249,7 @@ class JMTakerClientProtocolFactory(protocol.ClientFactory):
 
 def start_reactor(host, port, factory, ish=True, daemon=False): #pragma: no cover
     #(Cannot start the reactor in tests)
+    usessl = True if jm_single().config.get("DAEMON", "use_ssl") != 'false' else False
     if daemon:
         try:
             from jmdaemon import JMDaemonServerProtocolFactory
@@ -258,7 +260,16 @@ def start_reactor(host, port, factory, ish=True, daemon=False): #pragma: no cove
                        "section of the config. Quitting.")
             return
         dfactory = JMDaemonServerProtocolFactory()
-        reactor.listenTCP(port, dfactory)
+        if usessl:
+            reactor.listenSSL(port, dfactory,
+                          ssl.DefaultOpenSSLContextFactory(
+                              "./ssl/key.pem", "./ssl/cert.pem"))
+        else:
+            reactor.listenTCP(port, dfactory)
 
-    reactor.connectTCP(host, port, factory)
+    if usessl:
+        ctx = ClientContextFactory()
+        reactor.connectSSL(host, port, factory, ctx)
+    else:
+        reactor.connectTCP(host, port, factory)
     reactor.run(installSignalHandlers=ish)
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py b/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
index fa6e814..84fa664 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ daemon_port = 27183
 #currently, running the daemon on a remote host is
 #*NOT* supported, so don't change this variable
 daemon_host = localhost
+#by default the client-daemon connection is plaintext, set to 'true' to use TLS;
+#for this, you need to have a valid (self-signed) certificate installed
+use_ssl = false
 
 [BLOCKCHAIN]
 blockchain_source = blockr
diff --git a/scripts/joinmarketd.py b/scripts/joinmarketd.py
index 62030d4..c05f4dd 100644
--- a/scripts/joinmarketd.py
+++ b/scripts/joinmarketd.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import sys
-from twisted.internet import reactor
+from twisted.internet import reactor, ssl
 from twisted.python.log import startLogging, err
 import jmdaemon
 
-def startup_joinmarketd(port, finalizer=None, finalizer_args=None):
+def startup_joinmarketd(port, usessl, finalizer=None, finalizer_args=None):
     """Start event loop for joinmarket daemon here.
     Args:
     port : port over which to serve the daemon
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ def startup_joinmarketd(port, finalizer=None, finalizer_args=None):
     """
     startLogging(sys.stdout)
     factory = jmdaemon.JMDaemonServerProtocolFactory()
-    reactor.listenTCP(port, factory)
+    if usessl:
+        reactor.listenSSL(port, factory, ssl.DefaultOpenSSLContextFactory(
+                                  "./ssl/key.pem", "./ssl/cert.pem"))
+    else:
+        reactor.listenTCP(port, factory)
     if finalizer:
         reactor.addSystemEventTrigger("after", "shutdown", finalizer,
                                       finalizer_args)
@@ -24,4 +28,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         port = 27183
     else:
         port = int(sys.argv[1])
-    startup_joinmarketd(port)
+    usessl = False
+    if len(sys.argv) > 2:
+        if int(sys.argv[2]) != 0:
+            usessl = True
+    startup_joinmarketd(port, usessl)