diff --git a/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl b/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl
index 00a2bad80..8f374a440 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl
@@ -923,7 +923,7 @@ transform_listen_option(Opt, Opts) ->
 	      (disable_sasl_mechanisms) -> fun((binary() | [binary()]) -> [binary()]);
 	      (atom()) -> [atom()].
 opt_type(c2s_certfile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
-opt_type(c2s_ciphers) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
+opt_type(c2s_ciphers) -> fun iolist_to_binary/1;
 opt_type(c2s_dhfile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 opt_type(c2s_cafile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 opt_type(c2s_protocol_options) ->
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_http.erl b/src/ejabberd_http.erl
index 9f2c87e9b..f513cecb0 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_http.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_http.erl
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ listen_opt_type(certfile) ->
 	    iolist_to_binary(S)
     end;
 listen_opt_type(ciphers) ->
-    fun misc:try_read_file/1;
+    fun iolist_to_binary/1;
 listen_opt_type(dhfile) ->
     fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 listen_opt_type(protocol_options) ->
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_s2s.erl b/src/ejabberd_s2s.erl
index 9e9a94754..d972f5866 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_s2s.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_s2s.erl
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ opt_type(route_subdomains) ->
 opt_type(s2s_access) ->
     fun acl:access_rules_validator/1;
 opt_type(s2s_certfile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
-opt_type(s2s_ciphers) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
+opt_type(s2s_ciphers) -> fun iolist_to_binary/1;
 opt_type(s2s_dhfile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 opt_type(s2s_cafile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 opt_type(s2s_protocol_options) ->
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_service.erl b/src/ejabberd_service.erl
index a83ec41f0..dd6310fbe 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_service.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_service.erl
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ listen_opt_type(certfile) ->
 	    ejabberd_pkix:add_certfile(S),
 	    iolist_to_binary(S)
     end;
-listen_opt_type(ciphers) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
+listen_opt_type(ciphers) -> fun iolist_to_binary/1;
 listen_opt_type(dhfile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 listen_opt_type(cafile) -> fun misc:try_read_file/1;
 listen_opt_type(protocol_options) ->