diff --git a/src/session.h b/src/session.h
--- a/src/session.h
+++ b/src/session.h
@@ -48,16 +48,24 @@
     Q_ENUM(State)
 
     /**
-      Creates a new Smtp session to the specified host and port.
-      After creating the session, you should call either open() or openAndWait() to open the connection.
+      Creates a new SMTP session to the specified host and port.
+      After creating the session, call setUseProxy() if necessary
+      and then either open() or openAndWait() to open the connection.
       @sa open(), openAndWait()
     */
     explicit Session(const QString &hostName, quint16 port, QObject *parent = nullptr);
     ~Session() override;
 
     void setUiProxy(const SessionUiProxy::Ptr &uiProxy);
     SessionUiProxy::Ptr uiProxy() const;
 
+    /**
+      Sets whether the SMTP network connection should use the system proxy settings
+
+      The default is to not use the proxy.
+    */
+    void setUseNetworkProxy(bool useProxy);
+
     /**
       Returns the host name that has been provided in the Session's constructor
       @sa port()
@@ -124,7 +132,7 @@
     /**
       Requests the server to quit the connection.
 
-      This sends "QUIT" command to the server and will not close the connection until
+      This sends a "QUIT" command to the server and will not close the connection until
       it receives a response. That means you should not delete this object right after
       calling close, instead wait for stateChanged() to change to Disconnected, or use
       quitAndWait().
diff --git a/src/session.cpp b/src/session.cpp
--- a/src/session.cpp
+++ b/src/session.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@
 {
 }
 
+void Session::setUseNetworkProxy(bool useProxy)
+{
+    d->m_thread->setUseNetworkProxy(useProxy);
+}
+
 void Session::setUiProxy(const SessionUiProxy::Ptr &uiProxy)
 {
     d->m_uiProxy = uiProxy;
diff --git a/src/sessionthread.cpp b/src/sessionthread.cpp
--- a/src/sessionthread.cpp
+++ b/src/sessionthread.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <QUrl>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QNetworkProxy>
 
 using namespace KSmtp;
 
@@ -36,7 +37,8 @@
       m_logFile(nullptr),
       m_parentSession(session),
       m_hostName(hostName),
-      m_port(port)
+      m_port(port),
+      m_useProxy(false)
 {
     moveToThread(this);
 
@@ -132,6 +134,16 @@
     if (m_socket->state() != KTcpSocket::ConnectedState &&
             m_socket->state() != KTcpSocket::ConnectingState) {
 
+        if (!m_useProxy) {
+            qCDebug(KSMTP_LOG) << "using no proxy";
+
+            QNetworkProxy proxy;
+            proxy.setType(QNetworkProxy::NoProxy);
+            m_socket->setProxy(proxy);
+        } else {
+            qCDebug(KSMTP_LOG) << "using default system proxy";
+        }
+
         m_socket->connectToHost(hostName(), port());
     }
 }
@@ -163,6 +175,13 @@
     delete m_socket;
 }
 
+
+void SessionThread::setUseNetworkProxy(bool useProxy)
+{
+    m_useProxy = useProxy;
+}
+
+
 ServerResponse SessionThread::parseResponse(const QByteArray &resp)
 {
     QByteArray response(resp);
diff --git a/src/sessionthread_p.h b/src/sessionthread_p.h
--- a/src/sessionthread_p.h
+++ b/src/sessionthread_p.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
     QString hostName() const;
     quint16 port() const;
 
+    void setUseNetworkProxy(bool useProxy);
+
     void handleSslErrorResponse(bool ignoreError);
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@
     Session *m_parentSession = nullptr;
     QString m_hostName;
     quint16 m_port;
+    bool m_useProxy;
 };
 
 }