diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions.php b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
index 86f002d14e..4185837917 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
@@ -1165,8 +1165,6 @@ function generate_board_url($without_script_path = false)
 	$server_name = (!empty($_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'])) ? $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] : getenv('SERVER_NAME');
 	$server_port = (!empty($_SERVER['SERVER_PORT'])) ? (int) $_SERVER['SERVER_PORT'] : (int) getenv('SERVER_PORT');
 
-	$url = (($config['cookie_secure']) ? 'https://' : 'http://') . $server_name;
-
 	// Forcing server vars is the only way to specify/override the protocol
 	if ($config['force_server_vars'] || !$server_name)
 	{
@@ -1176,6 +1174,12 @@ function generate_board_url($without_script_path = false)
 
 		$url = $server_protocol . $server_name;
 	}
+	else
+	{
+		// Do not rely on cookie_secure, users seem to think that it means a secured cookie instead of an encrypted connection
+		$cookie_secure = (isset($_SERVER['HTTPS']) && $_SERVER['HTTPS'] == 'on') ? 1 : 0;
+		$url = (($cookie_secure) ? 'https://' : 'http://') . $server_name;
+	}
 
 	if ($server_port && (($config['cookie_secure'] && $server_port <> 443) || (!$config['cookie_secure'] && $server_port <> 80)))
 	{
diff --git a/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php b/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php
index bb467bad50..f3d0d94895 100644
--- a/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php
+++ b/phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ $lang = array_merge($lang, array(
 	'COOKIE_NAME'			=> 'Cookie name',
 	'COOKIE_PATH'			=> 'Cookie path',
 	'COOKIE_SECURE'			=> 'Cookie secure',
-	'COOKIE_SECURE_EXPLAIN'	=> 'If your server is running via SSL set this to enabled else leave as disabled',
+	'COOKIE_SECURE_EXPLAIN'	=> 'If your server is running via SSL set this to enabled else leave as disabled. Having this enabled and not running via SSL will result in server errors during redirects.',
 	'ONLINE_LENGTH'				=> 'View online time span',
 	'ONLINE_LENGTH_EXPLAIN'		=> 'Time in minutes after which inactive users will not appear in viewonline listings, lower equals less processing.',
 	'SESSION_LENGTH'			=> 'Session length',