diff --git a/src/manager-auth.c b/src/manager-auth.c
index 6380102..296186d 100644
--- a/src/manager-auth.c
+++ b/src/manager-auth.c
@@ -459,11 +459,18 @@ int manager_auth_client(server_generic_client_t *client, prelude_io_t *pio, gnut
         if ( ! session ) {
                 union { int fd; void *ptr; } data;
                 const int kx_prio[] = { GNUTLS_KX_DHE_RSA, 0 };
+                const int c_prio[] = { 1, GNUTLS_COMP_DEFLATE, 0 };
 
                 ret = gnutls_init(&session, GNUTLS_SERVER);
+                if ( ret < 0 ) {
+                        server_generic_log_client(client, PRELUDE_LOG_WARN, "error initializing TLS session: %s.\n",
+                                                  gnutls_strerror(ret));
+                        return -1;
+                }
 
                 gnutls_set_default_priority(session);
                 gnutls_kx_set_priority(session, kx_prio);
+                gnutls_compression_set_priority(session, c_prio);
 
                 gnutls_credentials_set(session, GNUTLS_CRD_CERTIFICATE, cred);
                 gnutls_certificate_server_set_request(session, GNUTLS_CERT_REQUEST);