diff --git a/src/conf/manager.xml b/src/conf/manager.xml
index 48041cb..fd1a883 100644
--- a/src/conf/manager.xml
+++ b/src/conf/manager.xml
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
     <xmpp>
         <!-- Name of the server to connect. This property is required. -->
         <domain></domain>
+        <!-- IP address or hostname of the XMPP server. If not defined then a DNS SRV lookup
+        of the domain will be performed. -->
+        <!-- <hostname></hostname> -->
         <!-- TCP port to connect to the XMPP server on. -->
         <port>5262</port>
         <!-- Password to use to log into the server. This property is required. -->
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@
         </client>
         <socket>
             <default>
+                <active>true</active>
                 <!-- Default port to use for plain/TLS client connections. -->
                 <port>5222</port>
             </default>
diff --git a/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionManager.java b/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionManager.java
index 534d0c8..86c4b20 100644
--- a/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionManager.java
+++ b/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionManager.java
@@ -290,8 +290,10 @@
     }
 
     private void startClientListeners(String localIPAddress) {
-        // TODO Does MINA uses MAX_PRIORITY for threads?
-        // TODO Are threads running as daemon? Can we stop de server?
+        if (!JiveGlobals.getBooleanProperty("xmpp.socket.default.active", true)) {
+            // Do not start listener if service is disabled
+            return;
+        }
         // Start clients plain socket unless it's been disabled.
         int port = getClientListenerPort();
         // Create SocketAcceptor with correct number of processors
@@ -339,6 +341,10 @@
     }
 
     private void startClientSSLListeners(String localIPAddress) {
+        if (!JiveGlobals.getBooleanProperty("xmpp.socket.ssl.active", true)) {
+            // Do not start listener if service is disabled
+            return;
+        }
         // Start clients SSL unless it's been disabled.
         int port = JiveGlobals.getIntProperty("xmpp.socket.ssl.port", 5223);
         String algorithm = JiveGlobals.getXMLProperty("xmpp.socket.ssl.algorithm");
diff --git a/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionWorkerThread.java b/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionWorkerThread.java
index 6fc0d2f..7a59c06 100644
--- a/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionWorkerThread.java
+++ b/src/java/org/jivesoftware/multiplexer/ConnectionWorkerThread.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParser;
 
 import javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStreamReader;
 import java.net.InetAddress;
 import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
@@ -119,26 +120,43 @@
 
     /**
      * Creates a new connection to the server
+     * 
+     * @return true if a connection to the server was established
      */
     private boolean createConnection() {
         String realHostname = null;
         int port =
                 JiveGlobals.getIntProperty("xmpp.port", DEFAULT_MULTIPLEX_PORT);
         Socket socket = new Socket();
-        try {
-            // Get the real hostname to connect to using DNS lookup of the specified hostname
-            DNSUtil.HostAddress address = DNSUtil.resolveXMPPServerDomain(serverName, port);
-            realHostname = address.getHost();
-            Log.debug("CM - Trying to connect to " + serverName + ":" + port +
-                    "(DNS lookup: " + realHostname + ":" + port + ")");
-            // Establish a TCP connection to the Receiving Server
-            socket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(realHostname, port), 20000);
-            Log.debug("CM - Plain connection to " + serverName + ":" + port + " successful");
+        if (JiveGlobals.getXMLProperty("xmpp.hostname") != null) {
+            String hostname = JiveGlobals.getXMLProperty("xmpp.hostname");
+            // Use the specified hostname and port to connect to the server
+            try {
+                Log.debug("CM - Trying to connect to server at " + hostname + ":" + port);
+                // Establish a TCP connection to the Receiving Server
+                socket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(hostname, port), 20000);
+                Log.debug("CM - Plain connection to server at " + hostname + ":" + port + " successful");
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                Log.error("Error trying to connect to server at " + hostname + ":" + port, e);
+                return false;
+            }
         }
-        catch (Exception e) {
-            Log.error("Error trying to connect to server: " + serverName +
-                    "(DNS lookup: " + realHostname + ":" + port + ")", e);
-            return false;
+        else {
+            try {
+                // Get the real hostname to connect to using DNS lookup of the specified hostname
+                DNSUtil.HostAddress address = DNSUtil.resolveXMPPServerDomain(serverName, port);
+                realHostname = address.getHost();
+                Log.debug("CM - Trying to connect to " + serverName + ":" + port +
+                        "(DNS lookup: " + realHostname + ":" + port + ")");
+                // Establish a TCP connection to the Receiving Server
+                socket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(realHostname, port), 20000);
+                Log.debug("CM - Plain connection to " + serverName + ":" + port + " successful");
+            }
+            catch (Exception e) {
+                Log.error("Error trying to connect to server: " + serverName +
+                        "(DNS lookup: " + realHostname + ":" + port + ")", e);
+                return false;
+            }
         }
 
         try {