diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e5b9112f4c..fb8b6be978 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
     "sitemap": "^1.4.0",
     "socket.io": "^1.4.8",
     "socket.io-client": "^1.4.0",
-    "socket.io-redis": "^1.0.0",
+    "socket.io-redis": "1.1.1",
     "socketio-wildcard": "~0.3.0",
     "string": "^3.0.0",
     "templates.js": "0.3.4",
diff --git a/src/database/redis.js b/src/database/redis.js
index 8af568b5d9..214c9ef4a1 100644
--- a/src/database/redis.js
+++ b/src/database/redis.js
@@ -65,15 +65,18 @@
 	};
 
 	module.connect = function(options) {
-		var redis_socket_or_host = nconf.get('redis:host'),
-			cxn, dbIdx;
-
-		options = options || {};
+		var redis_socket_or_host = nconf.get('redis:host');
+		var cxn;
 
 		if (!redis) {
 			redis = require('redis');
 		}
 
+		options = options || {};
+		if (nconf.get('redis:password')) {
+			options.auth_pass = nconf.get('redis:password');
+		}
+
 		if (redis_socket_or_host && redis_socket_or_host.indexOf('/') >= 0) {
 			/* If redis.host contains a path name character, use the unix dom sock connection. ie, /tmp/redis.sock */
 			cxn = redis.createClient(nconf.get('redis:host'), options);
@@ -91,7 +94,7 @@
 			cxn.auth(nconf.get('redis:password'));
 		}
 
-		dbIdx = parseInt(nconf.get('redis:database'), 10);
+		var dbIdx = parseInt(nconf.get('redis:database'), 10);
 		if (dbIdx) {
 			cxn.select(dbIdx, function(error) {
 				if(error) {
diff --git a/src/socket.io/index.js b/src/socket.io/index.js
index 5ee6050571..d3393ea2d2 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/index.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/index.js
@@ -177,9 +177,8 @@ var ratelimit = require('../middleware/ratelimit');
 		if (nconf.get('redis')) {
 			var redisAdapter = require('socket.io-redis');
 			var redis = require('../database/redis');
-			var pub = redis.connect({return_buffers: true});
+			var pub = redis.connect();
 			var sub = redis.connect({return_buffers: true});
-
 			io.adapter(redisAdapter({pubClient: pub, subClient: sub}));
 		} else if (nconf.get('isCluster') === 'true') {
 			winston.warn('[socket.io] Clustering detected, you are advised to configure Redis as a websocket store.');