diff --git a/bip.conf.5 b/bip.conf.5
index d153f07..be1a9d3 100644
--- a/bip.conf.5
+++ b/bip.conf.5
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@ defined.
 Set this to the full path of the cert/key pair bip should use to accept clients
 SSL connections.
 
+.TP
+\fBclient_side_ciphers\fP
+OpenSSL cipher lists used for clients SSL connections.
+
+.TP
+\fBssl_default_ciphers\fP
+OpenSSL cipher lists used for server connections.
+
 .TP
 \fBip\fP
 Ignored for the time being.
@@ -147,6 +155,10 @@ If true, BIP will connect to this network using SSL only. You cannot mix
 SSL servers and non-SSL servers in the same network section. This is by choice,
 we believe it's a bad idea.
 
+.TP
+\fBssl_ciphers\fP (override global ssl_default_ciphers)
+OpenSSL cipher lists used for this network.
+
 .TP
 \fBname\fP
 It's the network name used in the \fBconnection section\fP. Please note that
diff --git a/samples/bip.conf b/samples/bip.conf
index c361441..84b0b4c 100644
--- a/samples/bip.conf
+++ b/samples/bip.conf
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ client_side_ssl = false;
 # serve SSL clients. If unset, it defaults to <bipdir>/bip.pem
 #client_side_ssl_pem = "/path/to/pemfile";
 
+# OpenSSL cipher lists used with SSL client connections.
+#client_side_ciphers = "ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256";
+
+# Default OpenSSL cipher lists used with outgoing connections to IRC servers.
+#ssl_default_ciphers = "ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256";
+
 # Define where the pidfile should be stored. Defaults to <bipdir>/bip.pid
 #pid_file="/var/run/bip/bip.pid";
 
diff --git a/samples/bip.vim b/samples/bip.vim
index 0d63b96..46aeb74 100644
--- a/samples/bip.vim
+++ b/samples/bip.vim
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ syn region	bipMain		start=/\%^/ end=/\%$/
 syn keyword	bipKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipBoolV client_side_ssl 
 	\ log log_system
 syn keyword	bipKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipStringV log_root
-	\ log_format pid_file client_side_ssl_pem
+	\ log_format pid_file client_side_ssl_pem client_side_ciphers
+	\ ssl_default_ciphers
 syn keyword	bipKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipNumericV port log_level
 	\ log_sync_interval
 syn keyword	bipKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipIPV ip
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ syn keyword	bipKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipIPV ip
 syn region	bipNetwork	contained matchgroup=Macro 
 	\ start=/network\s*{\s*/ end=/};/
 	\ contains=bipNKeyword,bipServer,bipComment,bipEndError,bipWhite
-syn keyword	bipNKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipStringV name
+syn keyword	bipNKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipStringV name ciphers
 syn keyword	bipNKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipBoolV ssl
 
 " User block (level 1)
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ syn region	bipConnection	contained matchgroup=Macro
 	\ start=/connection\s*{\s*/ end=/};/
 	\ contains=bipCoKeyword,bipChannel,bipComment,bipEndError,bipWhite
 syn keyword	bipCoKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipBoolV follow_nick
-	\ ignore_first_nick
+	\ ignore_first_nick log
 syn keyword	bipCoKeyword	contained nextgroup=bipStringV name user nick
 	\ network password vhost away_nick on_connect_send realname
 	\ no_client_away_msg ssl_check_mode
diff --git a/src/bip.c b/src/bip.c
index 5da112f..502ed04 100644
--- a/src/bip.c
+++ b/src/bip.c
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ unsigned short conf_port;
 int conf_css;
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 char *conf_ssl_certfile;
+char *conf_client_ciphers;
+char *conf_server_default_ciphers;
 #endif
 int conf_daemonize;
 char *conf_pid_file;
@@ -358,6 +360,9 @@ static int add_network(bip_t *bip, list_t *data)
 		case LEX_SSL:
 			n->ssl = t->ndata;
 			break;
+		case LEX_CIPHERS:
+			MOVE_STRING(n->ciphers, t->pdata);
+			break;
 #endif
 		case LEX_SERVER:
 			n->serverv = bip_realloc(n->serverv, (n->serverc + 1)
@@ -383,6 +388,12 @@ static int add_network(bip_t *bip, list_t *data)
 			free(t->pdata);
 		free(t);
 	}
+
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
+	if (!n->ciphers) {
+		n->ciphers = conf_server_default_ciphers;
+	}
+#endif
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -996,6 +1007,12 @@ int fireup(bip_t *bip, FILE *conf)
 			conf_reconn_timer = t->ndata;
 			break;
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
+		case LEX_DEFAULT_CIPHERS:
+			MOVE_STRING(conf_server_default_ciphers, t->pdata);
+			break;
+		case LEX_CSS_CIPHERS:
+			MOVE_STRING(conf_client_ciphers, t->pdata);
+			break;
 		case LEX_CSS:
 			conf_css = t->ndata;
 			break;
@@ -1003,7 +1020,9 @@ int fireup(bip_t *bip, FILE *conf)
 			MOVE_STRING(conf_ssl_certfile, t->pdata);
 			break;
 #else
+		case LEX_DEFAULT_CIPHERS:
 		case LEX_CSS:
+		case LEX_CSS_CIPHERS:
 		case LEX_CSS_PEM:
 			mylog(LOG_WARN, "Found SSL option whereas bip is "
 					"not built with SSL support.");
@@ -1191,6 +1210,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	conf_pid_file = NULL;
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	conf_ssl_certfile = NULL;
+	conf_client_ciphers = NULL;
+	conf_server_default_ciphers = NULL;
 #endif
 
 	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "hvnf:s:")) != -1) {
diff --git a/src/conf.y b/src/conf.y
index c483716..0125888 100644
--- a/src/conf.y
+++ b/src/conf.y
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ struct tuple *tuple_l_new(int type, void *p)
 
 %}
 
-%token LEX_IP LEX_EQ LEX_PORT LEX_CSS LEX_SEMICOLON LEX_CONNECTION LEX_NETWORK LEX_LBRA LEX_RBRA LEX_USER LEX_NAME LEX_NICK LEX_SERVER LEX_PASSWORD LEX_SRCIP LEX_HOST LEX_VHOST LEX_SOURCE_PORT LEX_NONE LEX_COMMENT LEX_BUNCH LEX_REALNAME LEX_SSL LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE LEX_CHANNEL LEX_KEY LEX_LOG_ROOT LEX_LOG_FORMAT LEX_LOG_LEVEL LEX_BACKLOG_LINES LEX_BACKLOG_NO_TIMESTAMP LEX_BACKLOG LEX_LOG LEX_LOG_SYSTEM LEX_LOG_SYNC_INTERVAL LEX_FOLLOW_NICK LEX_ON_CONNECT_SEND LEX_AWAY_NICK LEX_PID_FILE LEX_IGN_FIRST_NICK LEX_ALWAYS_BACKLOG LEX_BLRESET_ON_TALK LEX_BLRESET_CONNECTION LEX_DEFAULT_USER LEX_DEFAULT_NICK LEX_DEFAULT_REALNAME LEX_NO_CLIENT_AWAY_MSG LEX_BL_MSG_ONLY LEX_ADMIN LEX_BIP_USE_NOTICE LEX_CSS_PEM LEX_AUTOJOIN_ON_KICK LEX_IGNORE_CAPAB LEX_RECONN_TIMER
+%token LEX_IP LEX_EQ LEX_PORT LEX_CSS LEX_SEMICOLON LEX_CONNECTION LEX_NETWORK LEX_LBRA LEX_RBRA LEX_USER LEX_NAME LEX_NICK LEX_SERVER LEX_PASSWORD LEX_SRCIP LEX_HOST LEX_VHOST LEX_SOURCE_PORT LEX_NONE LEX_COMMENT LEX_BUNCH LEX_REALNAME LEX_SSL LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE  LEX_CIPHERS LEX_CSS_CIPHERS LEX_DEFAULT_CIPHERS LEX_CHANNEL LEX_KEY LEX_LOG_ROOT LEX_LOG_FORMAT LEX_LOG_LEVEL LEX_BACKLOG_LINES LEX_BACKLOG_NO_TIMESTAMP LEX_BACKLOG LEX_LOG LEX_LOG_SYSTEM LEX_LOG_SYNC_INTERVAL LEX_FOLLOW_NICK LEX_ON_CONNECT_SEND LEX_AWAY_NICK LEX_PID_FILE LEX_IGN_FIRST_NICK LEX_ALWAYS_BACKLOG LEX_BLRESET_ON_TALK LEX_BLRESET_CONNECTION LEX_DEFAULT_USER LEX_DEFAULT_NICK LEX_DEFAULT_REALNAME LEX_NO_CLIENT_AWAY_MSG LEX_BL_MSG_ONLY LEX_ADMIN LEX_BIP_USE_NOTICE LEX_CSS_PEM LEX_AUTOJOIN_ON_KICK LEX_IGNORE_CAPAB LEX_RECONN_TIMER
 
 %union {
 	int number;
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ command:
        | LEX_PORT LEX_EQ LEX_INT { $$ = tuple_i_new(LEX_PORT, $3); }
        | LEX_CSS LEX_EQ LEX_BOOL { $$ = tuple_i_new(LEX_CSS, $3); }
        | LEX_CSS_PEM LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(LEX_CSS_PEM, $3); }
+       | LEX_CSS_CIPHERS LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(LEX_CSS_CIPHERS, $3); }
+       | LEX_DEFAULT_CIPHERS LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(LEX_DEFAULT_CIPHERS, $3); }
        | LEX_LOG LEX_EQ LEX_BOOL { $$ = tuple_i_new(LEX_LOG, $3); }
        | LEX_LOG_SYSTEM LEX_EQ LEX_BOOL { $$ = tuple_i_new(LEX_LOG_SYSTEM, $3); }
        | LEX_LOG_SYNC_INTERVAL LEX_EQ LEX_INT { $$ = tuple_i_new(
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ network:
 net_command:
 	   LEX_NAME LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(LEX_NAME, $3); }
 	   | LEX_SSL LEX_EQ LEX_BOOL { $$ = tuple_i_new(LEX_SSL, $3); }
+	   | LEX_CIPHERS LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(LEX_CIPHERS, $3); }
 	   | LEX_SERVER LEX_LBRA server LEX_RBRA {
 			$$ = tuple_l_new(LEX_SERVER, $3); }
 
diff --git a/src/connection.c b/src/connection.c
index 37cda12..431dd07 100644
--- a/src/connection.c
+++ b/src/connection.c
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ static int ssl_cx_idx;
 extern FILE *conf_global_log_file;
 static BIO *errbio = NULL;
 extern char *conf_ssl_certfile;
+extern char *conf_client_ciphers;
 static int SSLize(connection_t *cn, int *nc);
-static SSL_CTX *SSL_init_context(void);
+static SSL_CTX *SSL_init_context(char *ciphers);
 /* SSH like trust management */
 int link_add_untrusted(void *ls, X509 *cert);
 #endif
@@ -1240,7 +1241,7 @@ connection_t *accept_new(connection_t *cn)
 			mylog(LOG_DEBUG, "No SSL context available for "
 					"accepted connections. "
 					"Initializing...");
-			if (!(sslctx = SSL_init_context())) {
+			if (!(sslctx = SSL_init_context(conf_client_ciphers))) {
 				mylog(LOG_ERROR, "SSL context initialization "
 						"failed");
 				connection_free(conn);
@@ -1303,7 +1304,7 @@ static connection_t *_connection_new(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
 }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
-static SSL_CTX *SSL_init_context(void)
+static SSL_CTX *SSL_init_context(char *ciphers)
 {
 	int fd, flags, ret, rng;
 	char buf[1025];
@@ -1358,6 +1359,10 @@ prng_end:
 	SSL_CTX_set_session_cache_mode(ctx, SSL_SESS_CACHE_BOTH);
 	SSL_CTX_set_timeout(ctx, (long)60);
 	SSL_CTX_set_options(ctx, SSL_OP_ALL);
+	if (ciphers && !SSL_CTX_set_cipher_list(ctx, ciphers)) {
+		SSL_CTX_free(ctx);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	return ctx;
 }
@@ -1518,13 +1523,13 @@ static int SSLize(connection_t *cn, int *nc)
 }
 
 static connection_t *_connection_new_SSL(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
-		char *srchostname, char *srcport, int check_mode,
+		char *srchostname, char *srcport, char *ciphers, int check_mode,
 		char *check_store, char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout)
 {
 	connection_t *conn;
 
 	conn = connection_init(1, 1, timeout, 0);
-	if (!(conn->ssl_ctx_h = SSL_init_context())) {
+	if (!(conn->ssl_ctx_h = SSL_init_context(ciphers))) {
 		mylog(LOG_ERROR, "SSL context initialization failed");
 		return conn;
 	}
@@ -1634,12 +1639,13 @@ static connection_t *_connection_new_SSL(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
 #endif
 
 connection_t *connection_new(char *dsthostname, int dstport, char *srchostname,
-		int srcport, int ssl, int ssl_check_mode, char *ssl_check_store,
-		char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout)
+		int srcport, int ssl, char *ssl_ciphers, int ssl_check_mode,
+		char *ssl_check_store, char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout)
 {
 	char dstportbuf[20], srcportbuf[20], *tmp;
 #ifndef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	(void)ssl;
+	(void)ssl_ciphers;
 	(void)ssl_check_mode;
 	(void)ssl_check_store;
 	(void)ssl_client_certfile;
@@ -1656,7 +1662,7 @@ connection_t *connection_new(char *dsthostname, int dstport, char *srchostname,
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	if (ssl)
 		return _connection_new_SSL(dsthostname, dstportbuf, srchostname,
-				tmp, ssl_check_mode, ssl_check_store,
+				tmp, ssl_ciphers, ssl_check_mode, ssl_check_store,
 				ssl_client_certfile, timeout);
 	else
 #endif
diff --git a/src/connection.h b/src/connection.h
index 5fa7d2e..9e8a254 100644
--- a/src/connection.h
+++ b/src/connection.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ typedef struct connection {
 } connection_t;
 
 connection_t *connection_new(char *dsthostname, int dstport, char *srchostname,
-		int srcport, int ssl, int ssl_check_mode,
+		int srcport, int ssl, char *ssl_ciphers, int ssl_check_mode,
 		char *ssl_check_store, char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout);
 connection_t *listen_new(char *hostname, int port, int ssl);
 connection_t *accept_new(connection_t *cn);
diff --git a/src/irc.c b/src/irc.c
index f9a6271..f46f4dd 100644
--- a/src/irc.c
+++ b/src/irc.c
@@ -2171,11 +2171,13 @@ connection_t *irc_server_connect(struct link *link)
 				link->network->serverv[link->cur_server].port,
 				link->vhost, link->bind_port,
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
-				link->network->ssl, link->ssl_check_mode,
+				link->network->ssl,
+				link->network->ciphers,
+				link->ssl_check_mode,
 				link->user->ssl_check_store,
 				link->user->ssl_client_certfile,
 #else
-				0, 0, NULL, NULL,
+				0, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL,
 #endif
 				CONNECT_TIMEOUT);
 	assert(conn);
diff --git a/src/irc.h b/src/irc.h
index a0940d3..bc590a1 100644
--- a/src/irc.h
+++ b/src/irc.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ struct network
 	char *name;
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	int ssl;
+	char *ciphers;
 #endif
 	int serverc;
 	struct server *serverv;
diff --git a/src/lex.l b/src/lex.l
index 4c6c97b..098b92b 100644
--- a/src/lex.l
+++ b/src/lex.l
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ list_t *parse_conf(FILE *file, int *err)
 "ssl_check_mode"        { return LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE; }
 "ssl_check_store"       { return LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE; }
 "ssl_client_certfile"   { return LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE; }
+"ssl_default_ciphers"	{ return LEX_DEFAULT_CIPHERS; }
+"ciphers"		{ return LEX_CIPHERS; }
 "key"			{ return LEX_KEY; }
 "autojoin_on_kick"	{ return LEX_AUTOJOIN_ON_KICK; }
 "channel"		{ return LEX_CHANNEL; }
@@ -108,6 +110,7 @@ list_t *parse_conf(FILE *file, int *err)
 "pid_file"		{ return LEX_PID_FILE; }
 "bip_use_notice"	{ return LEX_BIP_USE_NOTICE; }
 "client_side_ssl_pem"	{ return LEX_CSS_PEM; }
+"client_side_ciphers"	{ return LEX_CSS_CIPHERS; }
 "ignore_server_capab"	{ return LEX_IGNORE_CAPAB; }
 "reconn_timer"		{ return LEX_RECONN_TIMER; }
 \"[^"]*\" 		{