diff --git a/ldap/src/integration-test/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainerTests.java b/ldap/src/integration-test/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainerTests.java
index 2547823cda..ae32eba0be 100644
--- a/ldap/src/integration-test/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainerTests.java
+++ b/ldap/src/integration-test/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainerTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,23 +17,37 @@
 package org.springframework.security.ldap.server;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.fail;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.ServerSocket;
+import java.security.UnrecoverableKeyException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.exception.ExceptionUtils;
+import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.rules.TemporaryFolder;
+import org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource;
+import org.springframework.util.FileCopyUtils;
 
 /**
  * Useful for debugging the container by itself.
  *
  * @author Luke Taylor
  * @author Rob Winch
+ * @author Gunnar Hillert
  * @since 3.0
  */
 public class ApacheDSContainerTests {
 
+	@Rule
+	public TemporaryFolder temporaryFolder = new TemporaryFolder();
+
 	// SEC-2162
 	@Test
 	public void failsToStartThrowsException() throws Exception {
@@ -95,6 +109,96 @@ public class ApacheDSContainerTests {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void startWithLdapOverSslWithoutCertificate() throws Exception {
+		ApacheDSContainer server = new ApacheDSContainer("dc=springframework,dc=org",
+				"classpath:test-server.ldif");
+		List<Integer> ports = getDefaultPorts(1);
+		server.setPort(ports.get(0));
+		server.setLdapOverSslEnabled(true);
+
+		try {
+			server.afterPropertiesSet();
+		}
+		catch (IllegalArgumentException e){
+			assertEquals("When LdapOverSsl is enabled, the keyStoreFile property must be set.", e.getMessage());
+			return;
+		}
+		fail("Expected an IllegalArgumentException to be thrown.");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void startWithLdapOverSslWithWrongPassword() throws Exception {
+		final ClassPathResource keyStoreResource = new ClassPathResource("/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/spring.keystore");
+		final File temporaryKeyStoreFile = new File(temporaryFolder.getRoot(), "spring.keystore");
+		FileCopyUtils.copy(keyStoreResource.getInputStream(), new FileOutputStream(temporaryKeyStoreFile));
+
+		assertTrue(temporaryKeyStoreFile.isFile());
+
+		ApacheDSContainer server = new ApacheDSContainer("dc=springframework,dc=org",
+				"classpath:test-server.ldif");
+
+		List<Integer> ports = getDefaultPorts(1);
+		server.setPort(ports.get(0));
+
+		server.setLdapOverSslEnabled(true);
+		server.setKeyStoreFile(temporaryKeyStoreFile);
+		server.setCertificatePassord("incorrect-password");
+
+		try {
+			server.afterPropertiesSet();
+		}
+		catch (RuntimeException e){
+			assertEquals("Server startup failed", e.getMessage());
+			assertTrue("Expected an instance of 'UnrecoverableKeyException' but got " + ExceptionUtils.getRootCause(e).getClass().getName(), ExceptionUtils.getRootCause(e) instanceof UnrecoverableKeyException);
+			return;
+		}
+		fail("Expected a RuntimeException to be thrown.");
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * This test starts an LDAP server using LDAPs (LDAP over SSL). A self-signed certificate is being used, which was
+	 * previously generated with:
+	 *
+	 * <pre>
+	 * {@code
+	 * keytool -genkey -alias spring -keyalg RSA -keystore spring.keystore -validity 3650 -storetype JKS \
+	 * -dname "CN=localhost, OU=Spring, O=Pivotal, L=Kailua-Kona, ST=HI, C=US" -keypass spring -storepass spring
+	 * }
+	 * </pre>
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void startWithLdapOverSsl() throws Exception {
+
+		final ClassPathResource keyStoreResource = new ClassPathResource("/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/spring.keystore");
+		final File temporaryKeyStoreFile = new File(temporaryFolder.getRoot(), "spring.keystore");
+		FileCopyUtils.copy(keyStoreResource.getInputStream(), new FileOutputStream(temporaryKeyStoreFile));
+
+		assertTrue(temporaryKeyStoreFile.isFile());
+
+		ApacheDSContainer server = new ApacheDSContainer("dc=springframework,dc=org",
+				"classpath:test-server.ldif");
+
+		List<Integer> ports = getDefaultPorts(1);
+		server.setPort(ports.get(0));
+
+		server.setLdapOverSslEnabled(true);
+		server.setKeyStoreFile(temporaryKeyStoreFile);
+		server.setCertificatePassord("spring");
+
+		try {
+			server.afterPropertiesSet();
+		}
+		finally {
+			try {
+				server.destroy();
+			}
+			catch (Throwable t) {
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	private List<Integer> getDefaultPorts(int count) throws IOException {
 		List<ServerSocket> connections = new ArrayList<ServerSocket>();
 		List<Integer> availablePorts = new ArrayList<Integer>(count);
diff --git a/ldap/src/integration-test/resources/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/spring.keystore b/ldap/src/integration-test/resources/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/spring.keystore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c696785da3
Binary files /dev/null and b/ldap/src/integration-test/resources/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/spring.keystore differ
diff --git a/ldap/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainer.java b/ldap/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainer.java
index a0008ec4c2..57a682ea57 100644
--- a/ldap/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainer.java
+++ b/ldap/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/ldap/server/ApacheDSContainer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -62,11 +62,12 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * application context is closed to allow the bean to be disposed of and the server
  * shutdown prior to attempting to start it again.
  * <p>
- * This class is intended for testing and internal security namespace use and is not
- * considered part of framework public API.
+ * This class is intended for testing and internal security namespace use, only, and is not
+ * considered part of the framework's public API.
  *
  * @author Luke Taylor
  * @author Rob Winch
+ * @author Gunnar Hillert
  */
 public class ApacheDSContainer implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean, Lifecycle,
 		ApplicationContextAware {
@@ -84,6 +85,10 @@ public class ApacheDSContainer implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean, Life
 	private final String root;
 	private int port = 53389;
 
+	private boolean ldapOverSslEnabled;
+	private File keyStoreFile;
+	private String certificatePassord;
+
 	public ApacheDSContainer(String root, String ldifs) throws Exception {
 		this.ldifResources = ldifs;
 		service = new DefaultDirectoryService();
@@ -126,11 +131,21 @@ public class ApacheDSContainer implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean, Life
 
 			setWorkingDirectory(new File(apacheWorkDir));
 		}
+		if (this.ldapOverSslEnabled && this.keyStoreFile == null) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException("When LdapOverSsl is enabled, the keyStoreFile property must be set.");
+		}
 
 		server = new LdapServer();
 		server.setDirectoryService(service);
 		// AbstractLdapIntegrationTests assume IPv4, so we specify the same here
-		server.setTransports(new TcpTransport(port));
+
+		TcpTransport transport = new TcpTransport(port);
+		if (ldapOverSslEnabled) {
+				transport.setEnableSSL(true);
+				server.setKeystoreFile(this.keyStoreFile.getAbsolutePath());
+				server.setCertificatePassword(this.certificatePassord);
+		}
+		server.setTransports(transport);
 		start();
 	}
 
@@ -167,6 +182,35 @@ public class ApacheDSContainer implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean, Life
 		this.port = port;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * If set to {@code true} will enable LDAP over SSL (LDAPs). If set to {@code true}
+	 * {@link ApacheDSContainer#setCertificatePassord(String)} must be set as well.
+	 *
+	 * @param ldapOverSslEnabled If not set, will default to false
+	 */
+	public void setLdapOverSslEnabled(boolean ldapOverSslEnabled) {
+		this.ldapOverSslEnabled = ldapOverSslEnabled;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The keyStore must not be null and must be a valid file. Will set the keyStore file on the underlying {@link LdapServer}.
+	 * @param keyStoreFile Mandatory if LDAPs is enabled
+	 */
+	public void setKeyStoreFile(File keyStoreFile) {
+		Assert.notNull(keyStoreFile, "The keyStoreFile must not be null.");
+		Assert.isTrue(keyStoreFile.isFile(), "The keyStoreFile must be a file.");
+		this.keyStoreFile = keyStoreFile;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Will set the certificate password on the underlying {@link LdapServer}.
+	 *
+	 * @param certificatePassord May be null
+	 */
+	public void setCertificatePassord(String certificatePassord) {
+		this.certificatePassord = certificatePassord;
+	}
+
 	public DefaultDirectoryService getService() {
 		return service;
 	}