diff --git a/src/mochiweb.erl b/src/mochiweb.erl
index 740f5c42..7ba55805 100644
--- a/src/mochiweb.erl
+++ b/src/mochiweb.erl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 -export([start/0, stop/0]).
 -export([new_request/1, new_response/1]).
 -export([all_loaded/0, all_loaded/1, reload/0]).
+-export([ensure_started/1]).
 
 %% @spec start() -> ok
 %% @doc Start the MochiWeb server.
@@ -77,8 +78,9 @@ new_response({Request, Code, Headers}) ->
                           Code,
                           mochiweb_headers:make(Headers)).
 
-%% Internal API
 
+%% @spec ensure_started(App::atom()) -> ok
+%% @doc Start the given App if it has not been started already.
 ensure_started(App) ->
     case application:start(App) of
         ok ->
diff --git a/src/mochiweb_socket_server.erl b/src/mochiweb_socket_server.erl
index 78b00e2f..bbe1a35b 100644
--- a/src/mochiweb_socket_server.erl
+++ b/src/mochiweb_socket_server.erl
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ parse_options([{profile_fun, ProfileFun} | Rest], State) when is_function(Profil
 start_server(State=#mochiweb_socket_server{ssl=Ssl, name=Name}) ->
     _ = case Ssl of
             true ->
-                ok = application:start(crypto),
-                ok = application:start(public_key),
-                ok = application:start(ssl);
+                ok = mochiweb:ensure_started(crypto),
+                ok = mochiweb:ensure_started(public_key),
+                ok = mochiweb:ensure_started(ssl);
             false ->
                 void
         end,