diff --git a/src/application.cpp b/src/application.cpp
--- a/src/application.cpp
+++ b/src/application.cpp
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@
 
             newIdentity->setNicknameList(cgIdentity.readEntry<QStringList>("Nicknames",QStringList()));
 
-            newIdentity->setAuthType(cgIdentity.readEntry("AuthType", "nickserv"));
+            newIdentity->setAuthType(cgIdentity.readEntry("AuthType", "saslplain"));
             newIdentity->setAuthPassword(cgIdentity.readEntry("Password"));
             newIdentity->setNickservNickname(cgIdentity.readEntry("Bot"));
             newIdentity->setNickservCommand(cgIdentity.readEntry("NickservCommand", "identify"));
diff --git a/src/identity.cpp b/src/identity.cpp
--- a/src/identity.cpp
+++ b/src/identity.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 
 void Identity::init()
 {
-    setAuthType(QStringLiteral("nickserv"));
+    setAuthType(QStringLiteral("saslplain"));
     setNickservNickname(QStringLiteral("nickserv"));
     setNickservCommand(QStringLiteral("identify"));