diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 43596580..646b7e1a 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #define IRSSI_GLOBAL_CONFIG "irssi.conf" /* config file name in /etc/ */
 #define IRSSI_HOME_CONFIG "config" /* config file name in ~/.irssi/ */
 
-#define IRSSI_ABI_VERSION 7
+#define IRSSI_ABI_VERSION 8
 
 #define DEFAULT_SERVER_ADD_PORT 6667
 
diff --git a/src/core/network-openssl.c b/src/core/network-openssl.c
index f193a61e..36b8d887 100644
--- a/src/core/network-openssl.c
+++ b/src/core/network-openssl.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "module.h"
 #include "network.h"
+#include "net-sendbuffer.h"
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "servers.h"
 #include "signals.h"
@@ -718,6 +719,21 @@ GIOChannel *net_connect_ip_ssl(IPADDR *ip, int port, IPADDR *my_ip, SERVER_REC *
 	return ssl_handle;
 }
 
+GIOChannel *net_start_ssl(SERVER_REC *server)
+{
+	GIOChannel *handle, *ssl_handle;
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail(server != NULL, NULL);
+
+	handle = net_sendbuffer_handle(server->handle);
+	if (handle == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	ssl_handle  = irssi_ssl_get_iochannel(handle, server->connrec->port, server);
+	return ssl_handle;
+}
+
+
 int irssi_ssl_handshake(GIOChannel *handle)
 {
 	GIOSSLChannel *chan = (GIOSSLChannel *)handle;
diff --git a/src/core/network.h b/src/core/network.h
index 03f3b813..8757f78c 100644
--- a/src/core/network.h
+++ b/src/core/network.h
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ int net_ip_compare(IPADDR *ip1, IPADDR *ip2);
 GIOChannel *net_connect(const char *addr, int port, IPADDR *my_ip) G_GNUC_DEPRECATED;
 /* Connect to socket with ip address and SSL*/
 GIOChannel *net_connect_ip_ssl(IPADDR *ip, int port, IPADDR *my_ip, SERVER_REC *server);
+/* Start TLS */
+GIOChannel *net_start_ssl(SERVER_REC *server);
+
 int irssi_ssl_handshake(GIOChannel *handle);
 /* Connect to socket with ip address */
 GIOChannel *net_connect_ip(IPADDR *ip, int port, IPADDR *my_ip);