diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 4c893e81..e86fb8f2 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ ADD postfix/main.cf /etc/postfix/main.cf
 ADD postfix/master.cf /etc/postfix/master.cf
 ADD postfix/sasl/smtpd.conf /etc/postfix/sasl/smtpd.conf
 ADD bin/generate-ssl-certificate /usr/local/bin/generate-ssl-certificate
+ADD bin/generate-user-databases /usr/local/bin/generate-user-databases
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/generate-ssl-certificate
+RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/generate-user-databases
 
 # Get LetsEncrypt signed certificate
 RUN curl https://letsencrypt.org/certs/lets-encrypt-x1-cross-signed.pem > /etc/ssl/certs/lets-encrypt-x1-cross-signed.pem
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9311428d..32684463 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ build:
 
 run:
 	# Copy test files
-	cp test/accounts.cf postfix/
+	cp -a test/accounts-db/ postfix/
 	cp test/main.cf postfix/
 	cp test/virtual postfix/
 	# Run containers
@@ -62,6 +62,6 @@ tests:
 
 clean:
 	# Get default files back
-	git checkout postfix/accounts.cf postfix/main.cf postfix/virtual
+	git checkout postfix/accounts-db postfix/main.cf postfix/virtual
 	# Remove running test containers
 	docker rm -f mail mail_pop3 mail_smtponly mail_fail2ban
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index acb30ea7..9ddd7680 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Before you open an issue, please have a look this `README`, the [FAQ](https://gi
 
 ### Users
 
-Users are managed in `postfix/accounts.cf`.  
+Users are managed in `postfix/accounts.cf` with the helper script `generate-user-databases`. 
 Just add the full email address and its password separated by a pipe.  
 
 Example:
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ Example:
     user1@domain.tld|mypassword
     user2@otherdomain.tld|myotherpassword
 
+Then the user databases for courier and cyrus sasl with encrypted passwords must be generated with the following:
+
+    docker run -ti --rm -v "$(pwd)"/postfix:/tmp/postfix -h mail.domain.com -t tvial/docker-mailserver generate-user-databases
+
+The needed DBs will then be found inside `postfix/accounts-db/` folder.
+
+For **security reason** clear text passwords are no longer allowed on running instances of the image. For that reason the file `postfix/accounts.cf` MUST be removed before starting up the container (it will not start up if that file is still there).
+
 ### Aliases
 
 Please first read [Postfix documentation on virtual aliases](http://www.postfix.org/VIRTUAL_README.html#virtual_alias).
diff --git a/bin/generate-user-databases b/bin/generate-user-databases
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..01e4cf9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/generate-user-databases
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Generate the courier and sasl databases
+if [ -f /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf ]; then
+  # Checking that /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf ends with a newline
+  sed -i -e '$a\' /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf
+
+  # Creating users
+  while IFS=$'|' read login pass
+  do
+    # Setting variables for better readability
+    user=$(echo ${login} | cut -d @ -f1)
+    domain=$(echo ${login} | cut -d @ -f2)
+    # Let's go!
+    echo "user '${user}' for domain '${domain}' with password '********'"
+    /usr/sbin/userdb ${login} set uid=5000 gid=5000 home=/var/mail/${domain}/${user} mail=/var/mail/${domain}/${user}
+    echo "${pass}" | userdbpw -md5 | userdb ${login} set systempw
+    echo "${pass}" | saslpasswd2 -p -c -u ${domain} ${login}
+  done < /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf
+  mkdir -p /tmp/postfix/accounts-db
+  cp /etc/courier/userdb /tmp/postfix/accounts-db/userdb
+  cp /etc/sasldb2 /tmp/postfix/accounts-db/sasldb2
+  echo "Courier and Sasl databases populated with user accounts"
+fi
diff --git a/postfix/accounts-db/sasldb2 b/postfix/accounts-db/sasldb2
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e664c9db
Binary files /dev/null and b/postfix/accounts-db/sasldb2 differ
diff --git a/postfix/accounts-db/userdb b/postfix/accounts-db/userdb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a52a38c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/postfix/accounts-db/userdb
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+user1@localhost.localdomain	mail=/var/mail/localhost.localdomain/user1|home=/var/mail/localhost.localdomain/user1|gid=5000|systempw=$1$iq3AGWp2$sCcf9iFXH.cfpbkxhjnxv1|uid=5000
+user2@otherdomain.tld	home=/var/mail/otherdomain.tld/user2|systempw=$1$NEKWjXTp$H1KY2dUwE5EZ8Nitiotdu0|gid=5000|uid=5000|mail=/var/mail/otherdomain.tld/user2
diff --git a/postfix/accounts.cf b/postfix/accounts.cf
deleted file mode 100644
index ecb0f063..00000000
--- a/postfix/accounts.cf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-user@domain.tld|mypassword
diff --git a/test/accounts.cf b/postfix/disab.accounts.cf
similarity index 100%
rename from test/accounts.cf
rename to postfix/disab.accounts.cf
diff --git a/start-mailserver.sh b/start-mailserver.sh
index 61be65d3..787c8c72 100644
--- a/start-mailserver.sh
+++ b/start-mailserver.sh
@@ -5,40 +5,58 @@ die () {
   exit 1
 }
 
+mkpaths () {
+  test ! -z "$1" && domain=$1 || die "mkpaths: no domain provided... Exiting"
+  test ! -z "$2" && user=$2 || die "mkpaths: no user provided... Exiting"
+
+  mkdir -p /var/mail/${domain}
+  if [ ! -d "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}" ]; then
+    maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}"
+    maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Sent"
+    maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Trash"
+    maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Drafts"
+    echo -e "INBOX\nINBOX.Sent\nINBOX.Trash\nInbox.Drafts" >> "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/courierimapsubscribed"
+    touch "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Sent/maildirfolder"
+  fi
+  echo ${domain} >> /tmp/vhost.tmp
+}
+
+# must exit with explicit message!
 if [ -f /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf ]; then
+  echo "======================================================================================="
+  echo "SECURITY WARNING ==> ABORTED startup !"
+  echo "The image no longer support running with clear text passwords in accounts.cf!"
+  echo "Accounts must be setup with their utility (generate-user-databases) before starting up"
+  echo "that image AND accounts.cf must be removed when user DBs are setup."
+  echo "If your DBs are already setup please remove the file accounts.cf and restart."
+  echo "For more infos please read the README.md"
+  echo "======================================================================================="
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ -f /tmp/postfix/accounts-db/userdb -a -f /tmp/postfix/accounts-db/sasldb2 ]; then
+  CDB="/etc/courier/userdb"
+  SASLDB="/etc/sasldb2"
+  # User databases have been already prepared
+  echo "Found user databases already setup"
+  cp /tmp/postfix/accounts-db/userdb ${CDB}
+  chown root:root ${CDB}
+  chmod 600 ${CDB}
+  cp /tmp/postfix/accounts-db/sasldb2 ${SASLDB}
+  chown postfix:sasl ${SASLDB}
+  chmod 660 ${SASLDB}
   echo "Regenerating postfix 'vmailbox' and 'virtual' for given users"
   echo "# WARNING: this file is auto-generated. Modify accounts.cf in postfix directory on host" > /etc/postfix/vmailbox
-
-  # Checking that /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf ends with a newline
-  sed -i -e '$a\' /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf
-
-  # Creating users
-  while IFS=$'|' read login pass
-  do
-    # Setting variables for better readability
-    user=$(echo ${login} | cut -d @ -f1)
-    domain=$(echo ${login} | cut -d @ -f2)
-    # Let's go!
-    echo "user '${user}' for domain '${domain}' with password '********'"
-    echo "${login} ${domain}/${user}/" >> /etc/postfix/vmailbox
-    /usr/sbin/userdb ${login} set uid=5000 gid=5000 home=/var/mail/${domain}/${user} mail=/var/mail/${domain}/${user}
-    echo "${pass}" | userdbpw -md5 | userdb ${login} set systempw
-    echo "${pass}" | saslpasswd2 -p -c -u ${domain} ${login}
-    mkdir -p /var/mail/${domain}
-    if [ ! -d "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}" ]; then
-      maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}"
-      maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Sent"
-      maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Trash"
-      maildirmake "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Drafts"
-      echo -e "INBOX\nINBOX.Sent\nINBOX.Trash\nInbox.Drafts" >> "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/courierimapsubscribed"
-      touch "/var/mail/${domain}/${user}/.Sent/maildirfolder"
-
-    fi
-    echo ${domain} >> /tmp/vhost.tmp
-  done < /tmp/postfix/accounts.cf
+  # Create the expected maildir paths
+  awk '{u=substr($1,1,index($1,"@")-1); d=substr($1,index($1,"@")+1,length($1)); print u" "d}' ${CDB} | \
+    while read user domain; do
+      mkpaths ${domain} ${user}
+      echo "${user}@${domain} ${domain}/${user}/" >> /etc/postfix/vmailbox
+    done
   makeuserdb
-else
-  echo "==> Warning: '/tmp/postfix/accounts.cf' is not provided. No mail account created."
+else 
+  echo "==> Accounts: '/tmp/postfix/userdb' and '/tmp/postfix/sasldb2' missing.' "
+  echo "==>  Warning: User databases have not been provided. No mail account created."
 fi
 
 if [ -f /tmp/postfix/virtual ]; then
@@ -128,7 +146,7 @@ case $DMS_SSL in
     && [ -e "/etc/letsencrypt/live/$(hostname)/privkey.pem" ]; then
       echo "Adding $(hostname) SSL certificate"
       # create combined.pem from (cert|chain|privkey).pem with eol after each .pem
-      sed -e '$a\' -s "/etc/letsencrypt/live/$(hostname)/{cert,chain,privkey}.pem" > "/etc/letsencrypt/live/$(hostname)/combined.pem"
+      sed -e '$a\' -s /etc/letsencrypt/live/$(hostname)/{cert,chain,privkey}.pem > /etc/letsencrypt/live/$(hostname)/combined.pem
 
       # Postfix configuration
       sed -i -r 's/smtpd_tls_cert_file=\/etc\/ssl\/certs\/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem/smtpd_tls_cert_file=\/etc\/letsencrypt\/live\/'$(hostname)'\/fullchain.pem/g' /etc/postfix/main.cf
diff --git a/test/accounts-db/sasldb2 b/test/accounts-db/sasldb2
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e664c9db
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/accounts-db/sasldb2 differ
diff --git a/test/accounts-db/userdb b/test/accounts-db/userdb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a52a38c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/accounts-db/userdb
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+user1@localhost.localdomain	mail=/var/mail/localhost.localdomain/user1|home=/var/mail/localhost.localdomain/user1|gid=5000|systempw=$1$iq3AGWp2$sCcf9iFXH.cfpbkxhjnxv1|uid=5000
+user2@otherdomain.tld	home=/var/mail/otherdomain.tld/user2|systempw=$1$NEKWjXTp$H1KY2dUwE5EZ8Nitiotdu0|gid=5000|uid=5000|mail=/var/mail/otherdomain.tld/user2
diff --git a/test/disab.accounts.cf b/test/disab.accounts.cf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f209cc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/disab.accounts.cf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+user1@localhost.localdomain|mypassword
+user2@otherdomain.tld|mypassword
diff --git a/test/tests.bats b/test/tests.bats
index 709fcae5..47ceca9c 100644
--- a/test/tests.bats
+++ b/test/tests.bats
@@ -195,7 +195,15 @@
 # accounts
 #
 
+@test "checking accounts.cf: if present shouldn't start the container" {
+  cp `pwd`/postfix/disab.accounts.cf `pwd`/postfix/accounts.cf
+  run docker run --rm --name test_on_accounts -v "$(pwd)/postfix":/tmp/postfix `docker inspect --format '{{ .Config.Image }}' mail`
+  [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+  [ "${lines[1]}" = "SECURITY WARNING ==> ABORTED startup !" ]
+}
+
 @test "checking accounts: user accounts" {
+  rm -f `pwd`/postfix/accounts.cf
   run docker exec mail sasldblistusers2
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
   [ "${lines[0]}" = "user1@localhost.localdomain: userPassword" ]