diff --git a/custom/conf/app.ini.sample b/custom/conf/app.ini.sample
index 7e7dbbf5f36..971a99e264f 100644
--- a/custom/conf/app.ini.sample
+++ b/custom/conf/app.ini.sample
@@ -282,8 +282,9 @@ DISABLE_ROUTER_LOG = false
 ; not forget to export the private key):
 ; $ openssl pkcs12 -in cert.pfx -out cert.pem -nokeys
 ; $ openssl pkcs12 -in cert.pfx -out key.pem -nocerts -nodes
-CERT_FILE = custom/https/cert.pem
-KEY_FILE = custom/https/key.pem
+; Paths are relative to CUSTOM_PATH
+CERT_FILE = https/cert.pem
+KEY_FILE = https/key.pem
 ; Root directory containing templates and static files.
 ; default is the path where Gitea is executed
 STATIC_ROOT_PATH =
diff --git a/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md b/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
index 2cce34bd897..d63eaf8e46f 100644
--- a/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
+++ b/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ Values containing `#` or `;` must be quoted using `` ` `` or `"""`.
 - `SSH_LISTEN_PORT`: **%(SSH\_PORT)s**: Port for the built-in SSH server.
 - `OFFLINE_MODE`: **false**: Disables use of CDN for static files and Gravatar for profile pictures.
 - `DISABLE_ROUTER_LOG`: **false**: Mute printing of the router log.
-- `CERT_FILE`: **custom/https/cert.pem**: Cert file path used for HTTPS.
-- `KEY_FILE`: **custom/https/key.pem**: Key file path used for HTTPS.
+- `CERT_FILE`: **https/cert.pem**: Cert file path used for HTTPS. From 1.11 paths are relative to `CUSTOM_PATH`.
+- `KEY_FILE`: **https/key.pem**: Key file path used for HTTPS. From 1.11 paths are relative to `CUSTOM_PATH`.
 - `STATIC_ROOT_PATH`: **./**: Upper level of template and static files path.
 - `STATIC_CACHE_TIME`: **6h**: Web browser cache time for static resources on `custom/`, `public/` and all uploaded avatars.
 - `ENABLE_GZIP`: **false**: Enables application-level GZIP support.
diff --git a/modules/graceful/server.go b/modules/graceful/server.go
index 30fb8cdffa3..19ce8a866f3 100644
--- a/modules/graceful/server.go
+++ b/modules/graceful/server.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package graceful
 
 import (
 	"crypto/tls"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -99,12 +100,25 @@ func (srv *Server) ListenAndServeTLS(certFile, keyFile string, serve ServeFuncti
 	}
 
 	config.Certificates = make([]tls.Certificate, 1)
-	var err error
-	config.Certificates[0], err = tls.LoadX509KeyPair(certFile, keyFile)
+
+	certPEMBlock, err := ioutil.ReadFile(certFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("Failed to load https cert file %s for %s:%s: %v", certFile, srv.network, srv.address, err)
 		return err
 	}
+
+	keyPEMBlock, err := ioutil.ReadFile(keyFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("Failed to load https key file %s for %s:%s: %v", keyFile, srv.network, srv.address, err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	config.Certificates[0], err = tls.X509KeyPair(certPEMBlock, keyPEMBlock)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("Failed to create certificate from cert file %s and key file %s for %s:%s: %v", certFile, keyFile, srv.network, srv.address, err)
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return srv.ListenAndServeTLSConfig(config, serve)
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/setting/setting.go b/modules/setting/setting.go
index 17c84d3d313..4183c203ed0 100644
--- a/modules/setting/setting.go
+++ b/modules/setting/setting.go
@@ -554,6 +554,12 @@ func NewContext() {
 		Protocol = HTTPS
 		CertFile = sec.Key("CERT_FILE").String()
 		KeyFile = sec.Key("KEY_FILE").String()
+		if !filepath.IsAbs(CertFile) && len(CertFile) > 0 {
+			CertFile = filepath.Join(CustomPath, CertFile)
+		}
+		if !filepath.IsAbs(KeyFile) && len(KeyFile) > 0 {
+			KeyFile = filepath.Join(CustomPath, KeyFile)
+		}
 	case "fcgi":
 		Protocol = FCGI
 	case "fcgi+unix":