diff --git a/src/smtpclient.cpp b/src/smtpclient.cpp
index e83e118..75a717c 100644
--- a/src/smtpclient.cpp
+++ b/src/smtpclient.cpp
@@ -24,21 +24,13 @@
 
 /* [1] Constructors and destructors */
 
-SmtpClient::SmtpClient(const QString & host, int port, ConnectionType ct) :
+SmtpClient::SmtpClient(const QString & host, int port, ConnectionType connectionType) :
     name("localhost"),
     authMethod(AuthPlain),
     connectionTimeout(5000),
     responseTimeout(5000)
 {
-    if (ct == TcpConnection)
-        this->useSsl = false;
-    else if (ct == SslConnection)
-        this->useSsl = true;
-
-    if (useSsl == false)
-        socket = new QTcpSocket(this);
-    else
-        socket = new QSslSocket(this);
+    setConnectionType(connectionType);
 
     this->host = host;
     this->port = port;
@@ -85,15 +77,17 @@ void SmtpClient::setPort(int port)
 
 void SmtpClient::setConnectionType(ConnectionType ct)
 {
-    if (ct == TcpConnection)
-        this->useSsl = false;
-    else if (ct == SslConnection)
-        this->useSsl = true;
+    this->connectionType = ct;
 
-    if (useSsl == false)
+    switch (connectionType)
+    {
+    case TcpConnection:
         socket = new QTcpSocket(this);
-    else
+        break;
+    case SslConnection:
+    case TlsConnection:
         socket = new QSslSocket(this);
+    }
 }
 
 const QString& SmtpClient::getHost() const
@@ -123,10 +117,7 @@ int SmtpClient::getPort() const
 
 SmtpClient::ConnectionType SmtpClient::getConnectionType() const
 {
-    if (useSsl)
-        return SslConnection;
-    else
-        return TcpConnection;
+    return connectionType;
 }
 
 const QString& SmtpClient::getName() const
@@ -139,6 +130,20 @@ void SmtpClient::setName(const QString &name)
     this->name = name;
 }
 
+const QString & SmtpClient::getResponseText() const
+{
+    return responseText;
+}
+
+int SmtpClient::getResponseCode() const
+{
+    return responseCode;
+}
+
+QTcpSocket* SmtpClient::getSocket() {
+    return socket;
+}
+
 /* [2] --- */
 
 
@@ -146,10 +151,17 @@ void SmtpClient::setName(const QString &name)
 
 bool SmtpClient::connectToHost()
 {
-    if (useSsl)
-        ((QSslSocket*) socket)->connectToHostEncrypted(host, port);
-    else
+    switch (connectionType)
+    {
+    case TlsConnection:
+    case TcpConnection:
         socket->connectToHost(host, port);
+        break;
+    case SslConnection:
+        ((QSslSocket*) socket)->connectToHostEncrypted(host, port);
+        break;
+
+    }
 
     // Tries to connect to server
     if (!socket->waitForConnected(connectionTimeout))
@@ -179,11 +191,44 @@ bool SmtpClient::connectToHost()
         waitForResponse();
 
         // The response code needs to be 250.
-        if (responseCode != 250)
-        {
+        if (responseCode != 250) {
             emit smtpError(ServerError);
             return false;
         }
+
+        if (connectionType == TlsConnection) {
+            // send a request to start TLS handshake
+            sendMessage("STARTTLS");
+
+            // Wait for the server's response
+            waitForResponse();
+
+            // The response code needs to be 220.
+            if (responseCode != 220) {
+                emit smtpError(ServerError);
+                return false;
+            };
+
+            ((QSslSocket*) socket)->startClientEncryption();
+
+            if (!((QSslSocket*) socket)->waitForEncrypted(connectionTimeout)) {
+                qDebug() << ((QSslSocket*) socket)->errorString();
+                emit SmtpError(ConnectionTimeoutError);
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            // Send ELHO one more time
+            sendMessage("EHLO " + name);
+
+            // Wait for the server's response
+            waitForResponse();
+
+            // The response code needs to be 250.
+            if (responseCode != 250) {
+                emit smtpError(ServerError);
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
     }
     catch (ResponseTimeoutException)
     {
diff --git a/src/smtpclient.h b/src/smtpclient.h
index c646010..f2bc161 100644
--- a/src/smtpclient.h
+++ b/src/smtpclient.h
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ public:
     enum ConnectionType
     {
         TcpConnection,
-        SslConnection
+        SslConnection,
+        TlsConnection       // STARTTLS
     };
 
     /* [0] --- */
@@ -88,6 +89,12 @@ public:
     SmtpClient::AuthMethod getAuthMethod() const;
     void setAuthMethod(AuthMethod method);
 
+    const QString & getResponseText() const;
+    int getResponseCode() const;
+
+    QTcpSocket* getSocket();
+
+
     /* [2] --- */
 
 
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ protected:
 
     QString host;
     int port;
-    bool useSsl;
+    ConnectionType connectionType;
     QString name;
 
     QString user;