diff --git a/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Apache.php b/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Apache.php
index 41c0816e..1f37b78f 100644
--- a/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Apache.php
+++ b/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Apache.php
@@ -425,6 +425,11 @@ class Apache extends HttpConfigBase
 
 					if ($row_ipsandports['ssl_key_file'] == '') {
 						$row_ipsandports['ssl_key_file'] = Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file');
+						if (! file_exists($row_ipsandports['ssl_key_file'])) {
+							// explicitly disable ssl for this vhost
+							$row_ipsandports['ssl_cert_file'] = "";
+							\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::getInstanceOf()->logAction(\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::CRON_ACTION, LOG_DEBUG, 'System certificate key-file "' . Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file') . '" does not seem to exist. Disabling SSL-vhost for "' . Settings::Get('system.hostname') . '"');
+						}
 					}
 
 					if ($row_ipsandports['ssl_ca_file'] == '') {
@@ -960,8 +965,13 @@ class Apache extends HttpConfigBase
 				}
 			}
 
-			if ($domain['ssl_key_file'] == '') {
+			if ($domain['ssl_key_file'] == '' || ! file_exists($domain['ssl_key_file'])) {
 				$domain['ssl_key_file'] = Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file');
+				if (! file_exists($domain['ssl_key_file'])) {
+					// explicitly disable ssl for this vhost
+					$domain['ssl_cert_file'] = "";
+					\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::getInstanceOf()->logAction(\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::CRON_ACTION, LOG_DEBUG, 'System certificate key-file "' . Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file') . '" does not seem to exist. Disabling SSL-vhost for "' . $domain['domain'] . '"');
+				}
 			}
 
 			if ($domain['ssl_ca_file'] == '') {
diff --git a/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/LetsEncrypt/AcmeSh.php b/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/LetsEncrypt/AcmeSh.php
index b476f755..47941733 100644
--- a/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/LetsEncrypt/AcmeSh.php
+++ b/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/LetsEncrypt/AcmeSh.php
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ class AcmeSh extends \Froxlor\Cron\FroxlorCron
 	 * @param int $domain_id
 	 * @param FroxlorLogger $cronlog
 	 */
-	private static function validateDns(&$domains = array(), $domain_id, &$cronlog)
+	private static function validateDns(array &$domains, $domain_id, &$cronlog)
 	{
 		if (Settings::Get('system.le_domain_dnscheck') == '1' && ! empty($domains)) {
 			$loop_domains = $domains;
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ class AcmeSh extends \Froxlor\Cron\FroxlorCron
 		}
 	}
 
-	private static function runAcmeSh($certrow = array(), $domains = array(), &$cronlog = null, $force = false)
+	private static function runAcmeSh(array $certrow, array $domains, &$cronlog = null, $force = false)
 	{
 		if (! empty($domains)) {
 
diff --git a/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Nginx.php b/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Nginx.php
index f11f9614..4c49628a 100644
--- a/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Nginx.php
+++ b/lib/Froxlor/Cron/Http/Nginx.php
@@ -166,6 +166,11 @@ class Nginx extends HttpConfigBase
 					}
 					if ($row_ipsandports['ssl_key_file'] == '') {
 						$row_ipsandports['ssl_key_file'] = Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file');
+						if (! file_exists($row_ipsandports['ssl_key_file'])) {
+							// explicitly disable ssl for this vhost
+							$row_ipsandports['ssl_cert_file'] = "";
+							\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::getInstanceOf()->logAction(\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::CRON_ACTION, LOG_DEBUG, 'System certificate key-file "' . Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file') . '" does not seem to exist. Disabling SSL-vhost for "' . Settings::Get('system.hostname') . '"');
+						}
 					}
 					if ($row_ipsandports['ssl_ca_file'] == '') {
 						$row_ipsandports['ssl_ca_file'] = Settings::Get('system.ssl_ca_file');
@@ -669,8 +674,15 @@ class Nginx extends HttpConfigBase
 			}
 		}
 
-		if ($domain_or_ip['ssl_key_file'] == '') {
+		if ($domain_or_ip['ssl_key_file'] == '' || ! file_exists($domain_or_ip['ssl_key_file'])) {
+			// use fallback
 			$domain_or_ip['ssl_key_file'] = Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file');
+			// check whether it exists
+			if (! file_exists($domain_or_ip['ssl_key_file'])) {
+				// explicitly disable ssl for this vhost
+				$domain_or_ip['ssl_cert_file'] = "";
+				\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::getInstanceOf()->logAction(\Froxlor\FroxlorLogger::CRON_ACTION, LOG_DEBUG, 'System certificate key-file "' . Settings::Get('system.ssl_key_file') . '" does not seem to exist. Disabling SSL-vhost for "' . $domain_or_ip['domain'] . '"');
+			}
 		}
 
 		if ($domain_or_ip['ssl_ca_file'] == '') {