diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java
index b9c5b3c31b..2e99c48ec6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public class DefaultInitialDirContextFactory implements InitialDirContextFactory
 
         Assert.hasLength(url, "An LDAP connection URL must be supplied.");
 
-        if (url.startsWith("ldap:")) {
+        if (url.startsWith("ldap:") || url.startsWith("ldaps:")) {
 
             URI uri = LdapUtils.parseLdapUrl(url);
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactoryTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactoryTests.java
index e4d9955590..a3974e5ea1 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactoryTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactoryTests.java
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ public class DefaultInitialDirContextFactoryTests extends AbstractLdapServerTest
 
     }
 
+    public void testSecureLdapUrlIsSupported() {
+        idf = new DefaultInitialDirContextFactory("ldaps://localhost/dc=acegisecurity,dc=org");
+        assertEquals("dc=acegisecurity,dc=org", idf.getRootDn());
+    }
+
+
     public void testConnectionFailure() throws Exception {
         // Use the wrong port
         idf = new DefaultInitialDirContextFactory("ldap://localhost:60389");