diff --git a/emailcommon/src/com/android/emailcommon/utility/SSLSocketFactory.java b/emailcommon/src/com/android/emailcommon/utility/SSLSocketFactory.java
index 4d19e158c..7a0c24c1c 100644
--- a/emailcommon/src/com/android/emailcommon/utility/SSLSocketFactory.java
+++ b/emailcommon/src/com/android/emailcommon/utility/SSLSocketFactory.java
@@ -335,6 +335,10 @@ public class SSLSocketFactory implements LayeredSocketFactory {
         // Set Server Name Indication if is available for this socket
         setSocketHostname(sslsock, host);
 
+        // Start handshake prior to hostname verification to ensure
+        // handshake exceptions do not get silenced by hostname verification.
+        sslsock.startHandshake();
+
         try {
             hostnameVerifier.verify(host, sslsock);
             // verifyHostName() didn't blowup - good!
@@ -402,6 +406,10 @@ public class SSLSocketFactory implements LayeredSocketFactory {
         // Set Server Name Indication if it's available for this socket
         setSocketHostname(sslSocket, host);
 
+        // Start handshake prior to hostname verification to ensure
+        // handshake exceptions do not get silenced by hostname verification.
+        sslSocket.startHandshake();
+
         hostnameVerifier.verify(host, sslSocket);
         // verifyHostName() didn't blowup - good!
         return sslSocket;