diff --git a/offlineimap.conf b/offlineimap.conf
index df5ed95..6f05dcc 100644
--- a/offlineimap.conf
+++ b/offlineimap.conf
@@ -580,6 +580,18 @@ type = GmailMaildir
 type = IMAP
 
 
+# This option stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section.
+#
+# Configure which address family to use for the connection. If not specified,
+# AF_UNSPEC is used as a fallback (default).
+#
+# AF_INET6:
+#ipv6 = True
+#
+# AF_INET:
+#ipv6 = False
+
+
 # These options stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section.
 #
 # The following can fetch the account credentials via a python expression that
diff --git a/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py b/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py
index 952404a..9b1095b 100644
--- a/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py
+++ b/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class UsefulIMAPMixIn(object):
         """open_socket()
         Open socket choosing first address family available."""
         msg = (-1, 'could not open socket')
-        for res in socket.getaddrinfo(self.host, self.port, socket.AF_UNSPEC, socket.SOCK_STREAM):
+        for res in socket.getaddrinfo(self.host, self.port, self.af, socket.SOCK_STREAM):
             af, socktype, proto, canonname, sa = res
             try:
                 # use socket of our own, possiblly socksified socket.
@@ -175,6 +175,9 @@ class WrappedIMAP4_SSL(UsefulIMAPMixIn, IMAP4_SSL):
     """Improved version of imaplib.IMAP4_SSL overriding select()."""
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if "af" in kwargs:
+            self.af = kwargs['af']
+            del kwargs['af']
         if "use_socket" in kwargs:
             self.socket = kwargs['use_socket']
             del kwargs['use_socket']
@@ -209,6 +212,9 @@ class WrappedIMAP4(UsefulIMAPMixIn, IMAP4):
     """Improved version of imaplib.IMAP4 overriding select()."""
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if "af" in kwargs:
+            self.af = kwargs['af']
+            del kwargs['af']
         if "use_socket" in kwargs:
             self.socket = kwargs['use_socket']
             del kwargs['use_socket']
diff --git a/offlineimap/imapserver.py b/offlineimap/imapserver.py
index cbe8d23..a604993 100644
--- a/offlineimap/imapserver.py
+++ b/offlineimap/imapserver.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import base64
 import json
 import urllib
 
+import socket
 import time
 import errno
 from sys import exc_info
@@ -80,6 +81,13 @@ class IMAPServer:
         self.goodpassword = None
 
         self.usessl = repos.getssl()
+        self.useipv6 = repos.getipv6()
+        if self.useipv6 == True:
+            self.af = socket.AF_INET6
+        elif self.useipv6 == False:
+            self.af = socket.AF_INET
+        else:
+            self.af = socket.AF_UNSPEC
         self.hostname = \
             None if self.preauth_tunnel else repos.gethost()
         self.port = repos.getport()
@@ -487,6 +495,7 @@ class IMAPServer:
                         fingerprint=self.fingerprint,
                         use_socket=self.proxied_socket,
                         tls_level=self.tlslevel,
+                        af=self.af,
                         )
                 else:
                     self.ui.connecting(self.hostname, self.port)
@@ -494,6 +503,7 @@ class IMAPServer:
                         self.hostname, self.port,
                         timeout=socket.getdefaulttimeout(),
                         use_socket=self.proxied_socket,
+                        af=self.af,
                         )
 
                 if not self.preauth_tunnel:
diff --git a/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py b/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
index 7a2a98c..60d5a08 100644
--- a/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
+++ b/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@ class IMAPRepository(BaseRepository):
 
         return self.getconfint('remoteport', None)
 
+    def getipv6(self):
+        return self.getconfboolean('ipv6', None)
+
     def getssl(self):
         return self.getconfboolean('ssl', 1)