diff --git a/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.c b/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.c
index ef3929d38..d7252fbec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.c
+++ b/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.c
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_lag_reconnect;
 struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_lag_refresh_interval;
 struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_notify_check_ison;
 struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_notify_check_whois;
+struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_sasl_fail_unavailable;
 struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_send_unknown_commands;
 struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_whois_double_nick;
 
@@ -3004,6 +3005,12 @@ irc_config_init ()
            "(in minutes)"),
         NULL, 1, 60 * 24 * 7, "5", NULL, 0, NULL, NULL,
         &irc_config_change_network_notify_check_whois, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    irc_config_network_sasl_fail_unavailable = weechat_config_new_option (
+        irc_config_file, ptr_section,
+        "sasl_fail_unavailable", "boolean",
+        N_("cause SASL authentication failure when SASL is requested but "
+           "unavailable"),
+        NULL, 0, 0, "on", NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
     irc_config_network_send_unknown_commands = weechat_config_new_option (
         irc_config_file, ptr_section,
         "send_unknown_commands", "boolean",
diff --git a/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.h b/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.h
index fd18cf532..91d9b6bfe 100644
--- a/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.h
+++ b/src/plugins/irc/irc-config.h
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_lag_reconnect;
 extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_lag_refresh_interval;
 extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_notify_check_ison;
 extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_notify_check_whois;
+extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_sasl_fail_unavailable;
 extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_send_unknown_commands;
 extern struct t_config_option *irc_config_network_whois_double_nick;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/irc/irc-protocol.c b/src/plugins/irc/irc-protocol.c
index f7b20111d..23afad170 100644
--- a/src/plugins/irc/irc-protocol.c
+++ b/src/plugins/irc/irc-protocol.c
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ IRC_PROTOCOL_CALLBACK(cap)
     const char *ptr_cap_option;
     int num_caps_supported, num_caps_requested, num_caps_added;
     int num_caps_removed, sasl_requested, sasl_to_do, sasl_mechanism;
-    int i, j, timeout, length;
+    int sasl_fail, i, j, timeout, length;
 
     IRC_PROTOCOL_MIN_ARGS(4);
 
@@ -429,6 +429,19 @@ IRC_PROTOCOL_CALLBACK(cap)
                             server->buffer,
                             _("%s%s: client capability: SASL not supported"),
                             weechat_prefix ("network"), IRC_PLUGIN_NAME);
+
+                        if (weechat_config_boolean (irc_config_network_sasl_fail_unavailable))
+                        {
+                            /* same handling as for sasl_end_fail */
+                            sasl_fail = IRC_SERVER_OPTION_INTEGER(server, IRC_SERVER_OPTION_SASL_FAIL);
+                            if ((sasl_fail == IRC_SERVER_SASL_FAIL_RECONNECT)
+                                || (sasl_fail == IRC_SERVER_SASL_FAIL_DISCONNECT))
+                            {
+                                irc_server_disconnect (
+                                    server, 0,
+                                    (sasl_fail == IRC_SERVER_SASL_FAIL_RECONNECT) ? 1 : 0);
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 if (cap_option)