diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 945545cce..c3562c717 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2009-02-16  Badlop  <badlop@process-one.net>
 
+	* src/ejabberd_config.erl: Check certfiles are readable on server
+	start and listener start (EJAB-753)
+	* src/ejabberd_listener.erl: Likewise
+
 	* src/mod_privacy.erl: Privacy List: deny presence-out all + send
 	presence to: presence is sent (EJAB-255)
 	* src/ejabberd_c2s.erl: Likewise
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_config.erl b/src/ejabberd_config.erl
index dc54ee884..bfd505352 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_config.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_config.erl
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@
 	 add_global_option/2, add_local_option/2,
 	 get_global_option/1, get_local_option/1]).
 -export([get_vh_by_auth_method/1]).
+-export([is_file_readable/1]).
 
 -include("ejabberd.hrl").
 -include("ejabberd_config.hrl").
+-include_lib("kernel/include/file.hrl").
 
 
 %% @type macro() = {macro_key(), macro_value()}
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ get_ejabberd_config_path() ->
 
 %% @doc Load the ejabberd configuration file.
 %% It also includes additional configuration files and replaces macros.
+%% This function will crash if finds some error in the configuration file.
 %% @spec (File::string()) -> ok
 load_file(File) ->
     Terms = get_plain_terms_file(File),
@@ -343,9 +346,21 @@ process_term(Term, State) ->
 	{s2s_use_starttls, Port} ->
 	    add_option(s2s_use_starttls, Port, State);
 	{s2s_certfile, CertFile} ->
-	    add_option(s2s_certfile, CertFile, State);
+	    case ejabberd_config:is_file_readable(CertFile) of
+		true -> add_option(s2s_certfile, CertFile, State);
+		false ->
+		    ErrorText = "There is a problem in the configuration: "
+			"the specified file is not readable: ",
+		    throw({error, ErrorText ++ CertFile})
+	    end;
 	{domain_certfile, Domain, CertFile} ->
-	    add_option({domain_certfile, Domain}, CertFile, State);
+	    case ejabberd_config:is_file_readable(CertFile) of
+		true -> add_option({domain_certfile, Domain}, CertFile, State);
+		false ->
+		    ErrorText = "There is a problem in the configuration: "
+			"the specified file is not readable: ",
+		    throw({error, ErrorText ++ CertFile})
+	    end;
 	{node_type, NodeType} ->
 	    add_option(node_type, NodeType, State);
 	{cluster_nodes, Nodes} ->
@@ -517,3 +532,16 @@ get_vh_by_auth_method(AuthMethod) ->
     mnesia:dirty_select(local_config,
 			[{#local_config{key = {auth_method, '$1'},
 					value=AuthMethod},[],['$1']}]).
+
+%% @spec (Path::string()) -> true | false
+is_file_readable(Path) ->
+    case file:read_file_info(Path) of
+	{ok, FileInfo} ->
+	    case {FileInfo#file_info.type, FileInfo#file_info.access} of
+		{regular, read} -> true;
+		{regular, read_write} -> true;
+		_ -> false
+	    end;
+	{error, _Reason} ->
+	    false
+    end.
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_listener.erl b/src/ejabberd_listener.erl
index 5ca3bdeb0..df3e343d8 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_listener.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_listener.erl
@@ -86,28 +86,15 @@ start(Port, Module, Opts) ->
 	_ -> start_dependent(Port, Module, Opts)
     end.
 
-%% -> {ok, Pid} | {error, ErrorMessage}
+%% @spec(Port, Module, Opts) -> {ok, Pid} | {error, ErrorMessage}
 start_dependent(Port, Module, Opts) ->
-    case includes_deprecated_ssl_option(Opts) of
-	false ->
-	    proc_lib:start_link(?MODULE, init, [Port, Module, Opts]);
-	true ->
-            SSLErr="There is a problem with your ejabberd configuration file: "
-		"the option 'ssl' for listening sockets is no longer available."
-		"To get SSL encryption use the option 'tls'.",
-	    ?ERROR_MSG(SSLErr, []),
-	    {error, SSLErr}
-    end.
-
-%% Parse the options of the socket,
-%% and return if the deprecated option 'ssl' is included
-%% @spec(Opts::[opt()]) -> true | false
-includes_deprecated_ssl_option(Opts) ->
-    case lists:keysearch(ssl, 1, Opts) of
-	{value, {ssl, _SSLOpts}} ->
-	    true;
-	_ ->
-	    lists:member(ssl, Opts)
+    try check_listener_options(Opts) of
+	ok ->
+	    proc_lib:start_link(?MODULE, init, [Port, Module, Opts])
+    catch
+	throw:{error, Error} ->
+	    ?ERROR_MSG(Error, []),
+	    {error, Error}
     end.
 
 init(PortIP, Module, Opts1) ->
@@ -331,3 +318,48 @@ is_frontend(_) -> false.
 %% where FrontMod = atom() | {frontend, atom()}
 strip_frontend({frontend, Module}) -> Module;
 strip_frontend(Module) when is_atom(Module) -> Module.
+
+
+%%%
+%%% Check options
+%%%
+
+check_listener_options(Opts) ->
+    case includes_deprecated_ssl_option(Opts) of
+	false -> ok;
+	true ->
+	    Error = "There is a problem with your ejabberd configuration file: "
+		"the option 'ssl' for listening sockets is no longer available."
+		" To get SSL encryption use the option 'tls'.",
+	    throw({error, Error})
+    end,
+    case certfile_readable(Opts) of
+	true -> ok;
+	{false, Path} ->
+            ErrorText = "There is a problem in the configuration: "
+		"the specified file is not readable: ",
+	    throw({error, ErrorText ++ Path})
+    end,
+    ok.
+
+%% Parse the options of the socket,
+%% and return if the deprecated option 'ssl' is included
+%% @spec (Opts) -> true | false
+includes_deprecated_ssl_option(Opts) ->
+    case lists:keysearch(ssl, 1, Opts) of
+	{value, {ssl, _SSLOpts}} ->
+	    true;
+	_ ->
+	    lists:member(ssl, Opts)
+    end.
+
+%% @spec (Opts) -> true | {false, Path::string()}
+certfile_readable(Opts) ->
+    case proplists:lookup(certfile, Opts) of
+	none -> true;
+	{certfile, Path} ->
+	    case ejabberd_config:is_file_readable(Path) of
+		true -> true;
+		false -> {false, Path}
+	    end
+    end.