diff --git a/Headphones.py b/Headphones.py
index 118494cd..12ee7d47 100755
--- a/Headphones.py
+++ b/Headphones.py
@@ -164,6 +164,16 @@ def main():
     else:
         http_port = int(headphones.CONFIG.HTTP_PORT)
 
+    # Check if pyOpenSSL is installed. It is required for certificate generation
+    # and for CherryPy.
+    if headphones.CONFIG.ENABLE_HTTPS:
+        try:
+            import OpenSSL
+        except ImportError:
+            logger.warn("The pyOpenSSL module is missing. Install this " \
+                "module to enable HTTPS. HTTPS will be disabled.")
+            headphones.CONFIG.ENABLE_HTTPS = False
+
     # Try to start the server. Will exit here is address is already in use.
     web_config = {
         'http_port': http_port,
diff --git a/headphones/helpers.py b/headphones/helpers.py
index 29f1fe23..8c1be7e7 100644
--- a/headphones/helpers.py
+++ b/headphones/helpers.py
@@ -660,44 +660,41 @@ def sab_sanitize_foldername(name):
 
     return name
 
-
 def split_string(mystring, splitvar=','):
     mylist = []
     for each_word in mystring.split(splitvar):
         mylist.append(each_word.strip())
     return mylist
 
-
 def create_https_certificates(ssl_cert, ssl_key):
     """
-    Stolen from SickBeard (http://github.com/midgetspy/Sick-Beard):
-    Create self-signed HTTPS certificares and store in paths 'ssl_cert' and 'ssl_key'
+    Create a pair of self-signed HTTPS certificares and store in them in
+    'ssl_cert' and 'ssl_key'. Method assumes pyOpenSSL is installed.
+
+    This code is stolen from SickBeard (http://github.com/midgetspy/Sick-Beard).
     """
+
     from headphones import logger
 
-    try:
-        from OpenSSL import crypto
-        from certgen import createKeyPair, createCertRequest, createCertificate, TYPE_RSA, serial
-    except:
-        logger.warn("pyOpenSSL module missing, please install to enable HTTPS")
-        return False
+    from OpenSSL import crypto
+    from certgen import createKeyPair, createCertRequest, createCertificate, \
+        TYPE_RSA, serial
 
     # Create the CA Certificate
-    cakey = createKeyPair(TYPE_RSA, 1024)
-    careq = createCertRequest(cakey, CN='Certificate Authority')
+    cakey = createKeyPair(TYPE_RSA, 2048)
+    careq = createCertRequest(cakey, CN="Certificate Authority")
     cacert = createCertificate(careq, (careq, cakey), serial, (0, 60 * 60 * 24 * 365 * 10)) # ten years
 
-    cname = 'Headphones'
-    pkey = createKeyPair(TYPE_RSA, 1024)
-    req = createCertRequest(pkey, CN=cname)
+    pkey = createKeyPair(TYPE_RSA, 2048)
+    req = createCertRequest(pkey, CN="Headphones")
     cert = createCertificate(req, (cacert, cakey), serial, (0, 60 * 60 * 24 * 365 * 10)) # ten years
 
     # Save the key and certificate to disk
     try:
-        with open(ssl_key, 'w') as f:
-            f.write(crypto.dump_privatekey(crypto.FILETYPE_PEM, pkey))
-        with open(ssl_cert, 'w') as f:
-            f.write(crypto.dump_certificate(crypto.FILETYPE_PEM, cert))
+        with open(ssl_key, "w") as fp:
+            fp.write(crypto.dump_privatekey(crypto.FILETYPE_PEM, pkey))
+        with open(ssl_cert, "w") as fp:
+            fp.write(crypto.dump_certificate(crypto.FILETYPE_PEM, cert))
     except IOError as e:
         logger.error("Error creating SSL key and certificate: %s", e)
         return False
diff --git a/headphones/webstart.py b/headphones/webstart.py
index ffeaf279..cf2f4a77 100644
--- a/headphones/webstart.py
+++ b/headphones/webstart.py
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ from headphones.webserve import WebInterface
 from headphones.helpers import create_https_certificates
 
 
-def initialize(options=None):
-    if options is None:
-        options = {}
+def initialize(options):
 
     # HTTPS stuff stolen from sickbeard
     enable_https = options['enable_https']
@@ -33,16 +31,17 @@ def initialize(options=None):
     https_key = options['https_key']
 
     if enable_https:
-        # If either the HTTPS certificate or key do not exist, make some self-signed ones.
+        # If either the HTTPS certificate or key do not exist, try to make
+        # self-signed ones.
         if not (https_cert and os.path.exists(https_cert)) or not (https_key and os.path.exists(https_key)):
             if not create_https_certificates(https_cert, https_key):
-                logger.warn(u"Unable to create cert/key files, disabling HTTPS")
-                headphones.CONFIG.ENABLE_HTTPS = False
+                logger.warn("Unable to create certificate and key. Disabling " \
+                    "HTTPS")
                 enable_https = False
 
         if not (os.path.exists(https_cert) and os.path.exists(https_key)):
-            logger.warn(u"Disabled HTTPS because of missing CERT and KEY files")
-            headphones.CONFIG.ENABLE_HTTPS = False
+            logger.warn("Disabled HTTPS because of missing certificate and " \
+                "key.")
             enable_https = False
 
     options_dict = {