diff --git a/packages/@angular/cli/commands/serve.ts b/packages/@angular/cli/commands/serve.ts
index e9ed7c107943..41a8216af00f 100644
--- a/packages/@angular/cli/commands/serve.ts
+++ b/packages/@angular/cli/commands/serve.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ const Command = require('../ember-cli/lib/models/command');
 const config = CliConfig.fromProject() || CliConfig.fromGlobal();
 const defaultPort = process.env.PORT || config.get('defaults.serve.port');
 const defaultHost = config.get('defaults.serve.host');
+const defaultSsl = config.get('defaults.serve.ssl');
+const defaultSslKey = config.get('defaults.serve.sslKey');
+const defaultSslCert = config.get('defaults.serve.sslCert');
 
 export interface ServeTaskOptions extends BuildOptions {
   port?: number;
@@ -37,9 +40,9 @@ export const baseServeCommandOptions: any = overrideOptions(
       description: `Listens only on ${defaultHost} by default`
     },
     { name: 'proxy-config', type: 'Path', aliases: ['pc'] },
-    { name: 'ssl', type: Boolean, default: false },
-    { name: 'ssl-key', type: String, default: 'ssl/server.key' },
-    { name: 'ssl-cert', type: String, default: 'ssl/server.crt' },
+    { name: 'ssl', type: Boolean, default: defaultSsl },
+    { name: 'ssl-key', type: String, default: defaultSslKey },
+    { name: 'ssl-cert', type: String, default: defaultSslCert },
     {
       name: 'open',
       type: Boolean,
diff --git a/packages/@angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json b/packages/@angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json
index ad62cf40243d..647a77768be6 100644
--- a/packages/@angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json
+++ b/packages/@angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json
@@ -431,6 +431,24 @@
               "description": "The host the application will be served on",
               "type": "string",
               "default": "localhost"
+            
+            },
+            "ssl": {
+              "description": "Enables ssl for the application",
+              "type": "boolean",
+              "default": false
+            
+            },
+            "sslKey": {
+              "description": "The ssl key used by the server",
+              "type": "string",
+              "default": "ssl/server.key"
+            
+            },
+            "sslCert": {
+              "description": "The ssl certificate used by the server",
+              "type": "string",
+              "default": "ssl/server.crt"
             }
           }
         }
diff --git a/tests/e2e/tests/misc/ssl-default-config.ts b/tests/e2e/tests/misc/ssl-default-config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..94d134879999
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/tests/misc/ssl-default-config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { request } from '../../utils/http';
+import { killAllProcesses } from '../../utils/process';
+import { ngServe } from '../../utils/project';
+import { updateJsonFile } from '../../utils/project';
+
+export default function() {
+  return Promise.resolve()
+    .then(() => updateJsonFile('.angular-cli.json', configJson => {
+      const app = configJson.defaults;
+      app.serve = { ssl: true };
+    }))  
+    .then(() => ngServe())
+    .then(() => request('https://localhost:4200/'))
+    .then(body => {
+      if (!body.match(/<app-root>Loading...<\/app-root>/)) {
+        throw new Error('Response does not match expected value.');
+      }
+    })
+    .then(() => killAllProcesses(), (err) => { killAllProcesses(); throw err; });
+}
diff --git a/tests/e2e/tests/misc/ssl-with-cert-config.ts b/tests/e2e/tests/misc/ssl-with-cert-config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..afb2e132c192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/tests/misc/ssl-with-cert-config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { request } from '../../utils/http';
+import { assetDir } from '../../utils/assets';
+import { killAllProcesses } from '../../utils/process';
+import { ngServe } from '../../utils/project';
+import { updateJsonFile } from '../../utils/project';
+
+export default function() {
+  return Promise.resolve()
+    .then(() => updateJsonFile('.angular-cli.json', configJson => {
+      const app = configJson.defaults;
+      app.serve = {
+        ssl: true,
+        sslKey: assetDir('ssl/server.key'),
+        sslCert: assetDir('ssl/server.crt')
+      };
+    }))      
+    .then(() => ngServe())
+    .then(() => request('https://localhost:4200/'))
+    .then(body => {
+      if (!body.match(/<app-root>Loading...<\/app-root>/)) {
+        throw new Error('Response does not match expected value.');
+      }
+    })
+    .then(() => killAllProcesses(), (err) => { killAllProcesses(); throw err; });
+
+}