diff --git a/backend/auth/backends/ldap.py b/backend/auth/backends/ldap.py
index a005ca3..b86510e 100644
--- a/backend/auth/backends/ldap.py
+++ b/backend/auth/backends/ldap.py
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
 
 
 class Backend(AbstractBackend):
-    _server = Server(host=settings.ldap.host, connect_timeout=settings.ldap.timeout)
+    _server = Server(host=settings.ldap.host,
+                     use_ssl=settings.ldap.use_ssl,
+                     connect_timeout=settings.ldap.timeout)
 
     @staticmethod
     def search_string(username: str) -> str:
diff --git a/backend/config.py b/backend/config.py
index 4d43f09..8da905d 100644
--- a/backend/config.py
+++ b/backend/config.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class LdapSettings(BaseSettings):
     user: str = "uid=username,cn=users,dc=suse,dc=de"
     password: str = "secret"
     host: str = "example.com"
+    use_ssl: bool = False
     bind_template: str = "uid={username},cn=users,dc=suse,dc=de"
     search_template: str = "(uid={username})"
     attr: LdapAttributeMap = LdapAttributeMap()