diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/http/ApiRequest.java b/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/http/ApiRequest.java
index 9c54dcf5..23b67b54 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/http/ApiRequest.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/http/ApiRequest.java
@@ -157,9 +157,12 @@ public abstract class ApiRequest {
         }
         @Override
         protected HttpURLConnection createConnection(URL url) throws IOException {
-            HttpsURLConnection connection = (HttpsURLConnection) super.createConnection(url);
-            connection.setHostnameVerifier((hostname, session) -> true);
-            return connection;
+            if (mUrl.toString().startsWith("https://")) {
+                HttpsURLConnection connection = (HttpsURLConnection) super.createConnection(url);
+                connection.setHostnameVerifier((hostname, session) -> true);
+                return connection;
+            }
+            return super.createConnection(url);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/service/Constants.java b/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/service/Constants.java
index dfde0607..3e8a2d63 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/service/Constants.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/service/Constants.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.nutomic.syncthingandroid.service;
 
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Environment;
 
 import java.io.File;
@@ -112,4 +113,28 @@ public class Constants {
     static File getLogFile(Context context) {
         return new File(context.getExternalFilesDir(null), "syncthing.log");
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Decide if we should enforce HTTPS when accessing the Web UI and REST API.
+     * Android 4.4 and earlier don't have support for TLS 1.2 requiring us to
+     * fall back to an unencrypted HTTP connection to localhost. This applies
+     * to syncthing core v0.14.53+.
+     */
+    public static Boolean osSupportsTLS12() {
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
+            // Pre-Lollipop devices don't support TLS 1.2
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT == Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {
+            /**
+             * SSLProtocolException: SSL handshake failed on Android N/7.0,
+             * missing support for elliptic curves.
+             * See https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/37122132
+             */
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/util/ConfigXml.java b/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/util/ConfigXml.java
index b4259a27..0e2d245d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/util/ConfigXml.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/util/ConfigXml.java
@@ -106,8 +106,9 @@ public class ConfigXml {
     }
 
     public URL getWebGuiUrl() {
+        String urlProtocol = Constants.osSupportsTLS12() ? "https" : "http";
         try {
-            return new URL("https://" + getGuiElement().getElementsByTagName("address").item(0).getTextContent());
+            return new URL(urlProtocol + "://" + getGuiElement().getElementsByTagName("address").item(0).getTextContent());
         } catch (MalformedURLException e) {
             throw new RuntimeException("Failed to parse web interface URL", e);
         }
@@ -154,9 +155,15 @@ public class ConfigXml {
         }
 
         /* Section - GUI */
-        // Enforce TLS.
         Element gui = getGuiElement();
-        changed = setConfigElement(gui, "tls", "true") || changed;
+
+        // Platform-specific: Force REST API and Web UI access to use TLS 1.2 or not.
+        Boolean forceHttps = Constants.osSupportsTLS12();
+        if (!gui.hasAttribute("tls") ||
+                Boolean.parseBoolean(gui.getAttribute("tls")) != forceHttps) {
+            gui.setAttribute("tls", forceHttps ? "true" : "false");
+            changed = true;
+        }
 
         // Set user to "syncthing"
         changed = setConfigElement(gui, "user", "syncthing") || changed;