diff --git a/src/common/config.py b/src/common/config.py
index c9e308a42..e46b20b10 100644
--- a/src/common/config.py
+++ b/src/common/config.py
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ class Config:
             'remember_opened_chat_controls': [ opt_bool, True, _('If enabled, Gajim will reopen chat windows that were opened last time Gajim was closed.')],
             'positive_184_ack': [ opt_bool, False, _('If enabled, Gajim will show an icon to show that sent message has been received by your contact')],
             'show_avatar_in_tabs': [ opt_bool, False, _('Show a mini avatar in chat window tabs and in window icon')],
+            'use_keyring': [opt_bool, True, _('If True, Gajim will use the Systems Keyring to store account passwords.')],
     }, {})
 
     __options_per_key = {
diff --git a/src/common/passwords.py b/src/common/passwords.py
index 7f297b0c5..8ca769516 100644
--- a/src/common/passwords.py
+++ b/src/common/passwords.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class PasswordStorage(object):
 class SimplePasswordStorage(PasswordStorage):
     def get_password(self, account_name):
         passwd = gajim.config.get_per('accounts', account_name, 'password')
-        if passwd and passwd.startswith('libsecret:'):
+        if passwd and (passwd.startswith('libsecret:') or passwd.startswith('winvault:')):
             # this is not a real password, it’s stored through libsecret.
             return None
         else:
@@ -116,8 +116,14 @@ class SecretWindowsPasswordStorage(PasswordStorage):
         self.win_keyring = keyring.get_keyring()
 
     def save_password(self, account_name, password):
-        self.win_keyring.set_password('gajim', account_name, password)
-        gajim.config.set_per('accounts', account_name, 'password', 'winvault:')
+        try:
+            self.win_keyring.set_password('gajim', account_name, password)
+            gajim.config.set_per(
+                'accounts', account_name, 'password', 'winvault:')
+        except:
+            log.exception('error:')
+            set_storage(SimplePasswordStorage())
+            storage.save_password(account_name, password)
 
     def get_password(self, account_name):
         log.debug('getting password')
@@ -127,10 +133,7 @@ class SecretWindowsPasswordStorage(PasswordStorage):
         if not conf.startswith('winvault:'):
             password = conf
             # migrate the password over to keyring
-            try:
-                self.save_password(account_name, password)
-            except Exception:
-                log.exception('error: ')
+            self.save_password(account_name, password)
             return password
         return self.win_keyring.get_password('gajim', account_name)
 
@@ -140,19 +143,22 @@ def get_storage():
     global storage
     if storage is None: # None is only in first time get_storage is called
         global Secret
-        try:
-            gi.require_version('Secret', '1')
-            gir = __import__('gi.repository', globals(), locals(),
-                ['Secret'], 0)
-            Secret = gir.Secret
-        except (ValueError, AttributeError):
-            pass
-        try:
-            if os.name != 'nt':
-                storage = SecretPasswordStorage()
-            else:
-                storage = SecretWindowsPasswordStorage()
-        except Exception:
+        if gajim.config.get('use_keyring'):
+            try:
+                gi.require_version('Secret', '1')
+                gir = __import__('gi.repository', globals(), locals(),
+                    ['Secret'], 0)
+                Secret = gir.Secret
+            except (ValueError, AttributeError):
+                pass
+            try:
+                if os.name != 'nt':
+                    storage = SecretPasswordStorage()
+                else:
+                    storage = SecretWindowsPasswordStorage()
+            except Exception:
+                storage = SimplePasswordStorage()
+        else:
             storage = SimplePasswordStorage()
     return storage
 
diff --git a/src/features_window.py b/src/features_window.py
index 19ef8b3fc..23ea84897 100644
--- a/src/features_window.py
+++ b/src/features_window.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class FeaturesWindow:
             _('Password encryption'): (self.some_keyring_available,
                 _('Passwords can be stored securely and not just in plaintext.'),
                 _('Requires libsecret and a provider (such as GNOME Keyring and KSecretService).'),
-                _('Feature not available under Windows.')),
+                _('On Windows the Windows Credential Vault is used.')),
             _('Spell Checker'): (self.speller_available,
                 _('Spellchecking of composed messages.'),
                 _('Requires libgtkspell.'),
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class FeaturesWindow:
 
     def some_keyring_available(self):
         if os.name == 'nt':
-            return False
+            return True
         try:
             gi.require_version('Secret', '1')
             from gi.repository import Secret