diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index b12c406e..b14c08b3 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void GenerateHelp(const char *appname) {
 	CUtils::PrintMessage("\t--makepass     Generates a password for use in config");
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	CUtils::PrintMessage("\t--makepem      Generates a pemfile for use with SSL");
-	CUtils::PrintMessage("\t--encrypt-pem  Encrypts the pemfile");
+	CUtils::PrintMessage("\t--encrypt-pem  when used along with --makepem, encrypts the private key in the pemfile");
 #endif /* HAVE_LIBSSL */
 }
 
@@ -138,11 +138,16 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv, char** envp) {
 	if (bMakePem) {
 		CZNC* pZNC = &CZNC::Get();
 		pZNC->InitDirs("");
-		pZNC->WritePemFile();
+		pZNC->WritePemFile( bEncPem );
 
 		delete pZNC;
 		return 0;
 	}
+	if( bEncPem && !bMakePem ) {
+		CUtils::PrintError("--encrypt-pem should be used along with --makepem.");
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 #endif /* HAVE_LIBSSL */
 	if (bMakePass) {
 		CString sHash = CUtils::GetHashPass();
diff --git a/znc.cpp b/znc.cpp
index c9e41d97..64191fef 100644
--- a/znc.cpp
+++ b/znc.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ bool CZNC::WritePidFile(int iPid) {
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool CZNC::WritePemFile() {
+bool CZNC::WritePemFile( bool bEncPem ) {
 #ifndef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	CUtils::PrintError("ZNC was not compiled with ssl support.");
 	return false; 
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ bool CZNC::WritePemFile() {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	CUtils::GenerateCert(f, false, sHost);
+	CUtils::GenerateCert(f, bEncPem, sHost);
 	fclose(f);
 
 	CUtils::PrintStatus(true);
diff --git a/znc.h b/znc.h
index a9607ac6..cc4e3e4f 100644
--- a/znc.h
+++ b/znc.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public:
 	const CString& GetUserPath() const { if (!CFile::Exists(m_sUserPath)) { CUtils::MakeDir(m_sUserPath); } return m_sUserPath; }
 	CString GetPemLocation() const { return GetZNCPath() + "/znc.pem"; }
 	const CString& GetConfigFile() const { return m_sConfigFile; }
-	bool WritePemFile();
+	bool WritePemFile( bool bEncPem = false );
 	const CString& GetISpoofFile() const { return m_sISpoofFile; }
 	const CString& GetISpoofFormat() const { return m_sISpoofFormat; }
 	const VCString& GetVHosts() const { return m_vsVHosts; }