diff --git a/webui/config.php b/webui/config.php
index bc5ba2b3..f7b3cb8f 100644
--- a/webui/config.php
+++ b/webui/config.php
@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@ $config['IMAP_HOST'] = 'mail.yourdomain.com';
 $config['IMAP_PORT'] =  993;
 $config['IMAP_SSL'] = true;
 
+// enable authentication against a pop3 server (disabled by default)
+
+$config['ENABLE_POP3_AUTH'] = 0;
+$config['POP3_HOST'] = 'mail.yourdomain.com';
+$config['POP3_PORT'] = 995;
+$config['POP3_SSL'] = true;
 
 // enable authentication against google (disabled by default)
 // see http://www.mailpiler.org/en/google-apps-free.html for details
diff --git a/webui/model/user/auth.php b/webui/model/user/auth.php
index c317fad9..20aea2ac 100644
--- a/webui/model/user/auth.php
+++ b/webui/model/user/auth.php
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ class ModelUserAuth extends Model {
          if($ok == 1) { return $ok; }
       }
 
+      if(ENABLE_POP3_AUTH == 1) {
+         require 'Zend/Mail/Protocol/Pop3.php';
+         $ok = $this->checkLoginAgainstPOP3($username, $password);
+         if($ok == 1) { return $ok; }
+      }
 
       // fallback local auth
 
@@ -255,6 +260,34 @@ class ModelUserAuth extends Model {
    }
 
 
+   private function checkLoginAgainstPOP3($username = '', $password = '') {
+      $user = array();
+      $rc = 0;
+
+      try {
+         $conn = new Zend_Mail_Protocol_Pop3(POP3_HOST, POP3_PORT, POP3_SSL);
+
+         if($conn) {
+            $s = $conn->connect(POP3_HOST);
+
+            if($s) {
+
+               try {
+                  $conn->login($username, $password);
+
+                  $this->add_session_vars($username, $username, array($username), 0);
+                  $rc = 1;
+               }
+               catch (Zend_Mail_Protocol_Exception $e) {}
+            }
+         }
+      }
+      catch (Zend_Mail_Protocol_Exception $e) {}
+
+      return $rc;
+   }
+
+
    public function check_ntlm_auth() {
       $ldap_mail_attr = 'mail';
       $ldap_account_objectclass = 'user';