Index: django/core/mail.py
===================================================================
--- django/core/mail.py	(revision 4563)
+++ django/core/mail.py	(working copy)
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@
     """
     try:
         server = smtplib.SMTP(settings.EMAIL_HOST, settings.EMAIL_PORT)
+        try:
+            if settings.EMAIL_SECURE_SMTP:
+                server.ehlo()
+                server.starttls()
+                server.ehlo()
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
         if auth_user and auth_password:
             server.login(auth_user, auth_password)
     except:
@@ -79,6 +86,8 @@
                 raise
     try:
         server.quit()
+    except socket.sslerror:
+        pass
     except:
         if fail_silently:
             return