diff --git a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md
index 936ae1f41..112f5b427 100644
--- a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md
+++ b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,23 @@
 # IRC <--> Zulip bridge
 
+For a how-to guide, please see:
+
+https://zulipchat.com/integrations/doc/irc
+
+## SSL warning
+
+It can be tricky to get SSL to work, but if you are not using it, everyone's
+chats may be leaking through the bridge for any MitM attack.
+
+## Adding SSL certificates for IRC servers
+
+This section could need a bit of additional experience and elaboration.
+
+If your IRC server uses a CA that your system doesn't trust or some other
+mechanism of self-signing, please consider adding that as a basic CA in your
+system-wide platform. We have not written command-line options for storing
+and trusting extra certificates for the bridge.
+
 ## Usage
 
 ```
@@ -9,6 +27,7 @@
 `--stream` is a Zulip stream.  
 `--topic` is a Zulip topic, is optionally specified, defaults to "IRC".  
 `--nickserv-pw` is the IRC nick password.
+`--no-ssl` leaks everything in free text
 
 IMPORTANT: Make sure the bot is subscribed to the relevant Zulip stream!!
 
diff --git a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py
index 2f30a13fa..31943a537 100755
--- a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py
+++ b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@
         argparse.ArgumentParser(usage=usage), allow_provisioning=True
     )
     parser.add_argument("--irc-server", default=None)
-    parser.add_argument("--port", default=6667)
+    parser.add_argument("--port", default=6697)
     parser.add_argument("--nick-prefix", default=None)
     parser.add_argument("--channel", default=None)
+    parser.add_argument("--no-ssl", default=False)
     parser.add_argument("--stream", default="general")
     parser.add_argument("--topic", default="IRC")
     parser.add_argument("--nickserv-pw", default="")
@@ -54,6 +55,9 @@
     if options.irc_server is None or options.nick_prefix is None or options.channel is None:
         parser.error("Missing required argument")
 
+    if options.no_ssl:
+        print("You are not using SSL.")
+
     nickname = options.nick_prefix + "_zulip"
     bot = IRCBot(
         zulip_client,
@@ -64,5 +68,6 @@
         options.irc_server,
         options.nickserv_pw,
         options.port,
+        use_ssl=not options.no_ssl,
     )
     bot.start()
diff --git a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py
index 5242ca0d6..73384eaf4 100644
--- a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py
+++ b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py
@@ -1,14 +1,26 @@
 import multiprocessing as mp
+import ssl
 from typing import Any, Dict
 
 import irc.bot
-import irc.strings
+import irc.connection
+from irc import schedule
 from irc.client import Event, ServerConnection, ip_numstr_to_quad
 from irc.client_aio import AioReactor
 
 
+class AioReactorWithScheduler(AioReactor):
+    scheduler_class = schedule.DefaultScheduler
+
+    def __init__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        super(AioReactorWithScheduler, self).__init__()
+        scheduler = self.scheduler_class()
+        assert isinstance(scheduler, schedule.IScheduler)
+        self.scheduler = scheduler
+
+
 class IRCBot(irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
-    reactor_class = AioReactor
+    reactor_class = AioReactorWithScheduler
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -20,6 +32,8 @@ def __init__(
         server: str,
         nickserv_password: str = "",
         port: int = 6667,
+        use_ssl: bool = True,
+        ssl_connection_factory: irc.connection.Factory = None,
     ) -> None:
         self.channel = channel  # type: irc.bot.Channel
         self.zulip_client = zulip_client
@@ -27,10 +41,28 @@ def __init__(
         self.topic = topic
         self.IRC_DOMAIN = server
         self.nickserv_password = nickserv_password
+
+        # Use SSL for IRC server
+        self.use_ssl = use_ssl
+        if use_ssl:
+            if ssl_connection_factory:
+                self.connection_factory = ssl_connection_factory
+            else:
+                self.connection_factory = irc.connection.AioFactory(
+                    ssl=ssl.create_default_context()
+                )
+        else:
+            self.connection_factory = irc.connection.AioFactory()
+
+        connect_params = {}
+        connect_params["connect_factory"] = self.connection_factory
+
         # Make sure the bot is subscribed to the stream
         self.check_subscription_or_die()
         # Initialize IRC bot after proper connection to Zulip server has been confirmed.
-        irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot.__init__(self, [(server, port)], nickname, nickname)
+        irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot.__init__(
+            self, [irc.bot.ServerSpec(server, port)], nickname, nickname, **connect_params
+        )
 
     def zulip_sender(self, sender_string: str) -> str:
         nick = sender_string.split("!")[0]
@@ -40,6 +72,7 @@ def connect(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         # Taken from
         # https://github.com/jaraco/irc/blob/main/irc/client_aio.py,
         # in particular the method of AioSimpleIRCClient
+        kwargs["connect_factory"] = self.connection_factory
         self.c = self.reactor.loop.run_until_complete(self.connection.connect(*args, **kwargs))
         print("Listening now. Please send an IRC message to verify operation")