diff --git a/settings.json.template b/settings.json.template
index 4b18d7800..28f0192e3 100644
--- a/settings.json.template
+++ b/settings.json.template
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
   "ip": "0.0.0.0",
   "port" : 9001,
 
+  // Session Key, used for reconnecting user sessions
+  // Set this to a secure string at least 10 characters long.  Do not share this value.
+  "sessionKey" : "",
+
   /*  
   // Node native SSL support
   // this is disabled by default
diff --git a/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js b/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js
index 4a2f4664e..c39f91da6 100644
--- a/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js
+++ b/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ exports.expressConfigure = function (hook_name, args, cb) {
 
   if (!exports.sessionStore) {
     exports.sessionStore = new ueberStore();
-    exports.secret = randomString(32); // Isn't this being reset each time the server spawns?
+    exports.secret = settings.sessionKey; // Isn't this being reset each time the server spawns?
   }
 
   args.app.use(express.cookieParser(exports.secret));
diff --git a/src/node/utils/Settings.js b/src/node/utils/Settings.js
index 8435ab2c2..67e748bbc 100644
--- a/src/node/utils/Settings.js
+++ b/src/node/utils/Settings.js
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ var argv = require('./Cli').argv;
 var npm = require("npm/lib/npm.js");
 var vm = require('vm');
 var log4js = require("log4js");
+var randomString = require('ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pad_utils').randomString;
+
 
 /* Root path of the installation */
 exports.root = path.normalize(path.join(npm.dir, ".."));
@@ -112,6 +114,11 @@ exports.loglevel = "INFO";
 */
 exports.logconfig = { appenders: [{ type: "console" }]};
 
+/*
+* Session Key, do not sure this.
+*/
+exports.sessionKey = false;
+
 /* This setting is used if you need authentication and/or
  * authorization. Note: /admin always requires authentication, and
  * either authorization by a module, or a user with is_admin set */
@@ -132,8 +139,6 @@ exports.abiwordAvailable = function()
   }
 }
 
-
-
 exports.reloadSettings = function reloadSettings() {
   // Discover where the settings file lives
   var settingsFilename = argv.settings || "settings.json";
@@ -184,6 +189,11 @@ exports.reloadSettings = function reloadSettings() {
   log4js.setGlobalLogLevel(exports.loglevel);//set loglevel
   log4js.replaceConsole();
 
+  if(!exports.sessionKey){ // If the secretKey isn't set we also create yet another unique value here
+    exports.sessionKey = "__bad__"+randomString(32);;
+    console.warn("You need to set a sessionKey value in settings.json, this will allow your users to reconnect to your Etherpad Instance if your instance restarts");
+  }
+
   if(exports.dbType === "dirty"){
     console.warn("DirtyDB is used. This is fine for testing but not recommended for production.")
   }