diff --git a/offlineimap.conf b/offlineimap.conf
index 27b2c2b..11b3a21 100644
--- a/offlineimap.conf
+++ b/offlineimap.conf
@@ -788,8 +788,11 @@ remotehost = examplehost
 # In Windows, Microsoft uses the term "thumbprint" instead of "fingerprint".
 #
 # Supported fingerprint hashes are sha512, sha384, sha256, sha224 and sha1.
-# Fingerprints must be in hexadecimal form without leading '0x':
-# 40 hex digits like bbfe29cf97acb204591edbafe0aa8c8f914287c9.
+# Fingerprints must be in hexadecimal form without leading '0x', and may have
+# the separating colons. This is non case-sensitive.
+# Examples:
+# sha1 "bbfe29cf97acb204591edbafe0aa8c8f914287c9".
+# sha1 with colons "BB:FE:29:CF:97:AC:B2:04:59:1E:DB:AF:E0:AA:8C:8F:91:42:87:C9"
 #
 #cert_fingerprint = <SHAn_of_server_certificate_here>[, <another_SHAm>]
 
diff --git a/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py b/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
index 8cd2293..fea1d47 100644
--- a/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
+++ b/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ class IMAPRepository(BaseRepository):
         comma-separated fingerprints in hex form."""
 
         value = self.getconf('cert_fingerprint', "")
-        return [f.strip().lower() for f in value.split(',') if f]
+        return [f.strip().lower().replace(":", "") for f in value.split(',') if f]
 
     def setoauth2_request_url(self, url):
         self.oauth2_request_url = url