diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.mail/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/mail/internal/POP3IMAPHandler.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.mail/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/mail/internal/POP3IMAPHandler.java
index 5da17457ed18b..255d4d5f148e6 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.mail/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/mail/internal/POP3IMAPHandler.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.mail/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/mail/internal/POP3IMAPHandler.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public void initialize() {
         protocol = baseProtocol;
 
         if (config.security == ServerSecurity.SSL) {
-            protocol.concat("s");
+            protocol = protocol.concat("s");
         }
 
         if (config.port == 0) {