diff --git a/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.cpp b/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.cpp
index 9c360bd..28047b6 100644
--- a/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.cpp
+++ b/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.cpp
@@ -106,6 +106,23 @@ namespace monero {
     return root;
   }
 
+  // --------------------------- MONERO RPC VERSION ---------------------------
+
+  rapidjson::Value monero_rpc_connection::to_rapidjson_val(rapidjson::Document::AllocatorType& allocator) const {
+
+    // create root
+    rapidjson::Value root(rapidjson::kObjectType);
+
+    // set string values
+    rapidjson::Value value_str(rapidjson::kStringType);
+    if (m_uri != boost::none) monero_utils::addJsonMember("uri", m_uri.get(), allocator, root, value_str);
+    if (m_username != boost::none) monero_utils::addJsonMember("username", m_username.get(), allocator, root, value_str);
+    if (m_password != boost::none) monero_utils::addJsonMember("password", m_password.get(), allocator, root, value_str);
+
+    // return root
+    return root;
+  }
+
   // ------------------------- MONERO BLOCK HEADER ----------------------------
 
   rapidjson::Value monero_block_header::to_rapidjson_val(rapidjson::Document::AllocatorType& allocator) const {
diff --git a/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.h b/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.h
index cb83d20..d5bc992 100644
--- a/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.h
+++ b/src/daemon/monero_daemon_model.h
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@ namespace monero {
 
   /**
    * Models a connection to a daemon.
-   *
-   * TODO: switch to boost::optional<string>
    */
-  struct monero_rpc_connection {
-    string m_uri;
+  struct monero_rpc_connection : public serializable_struct {
+    boost::optional<string> m_uri;
     boost::optional<string> m_username;
     boost::optional<string> m_password;
-    monero_rpc_connection(const string& uri = "", const boost::optional<string>& username = boost::none, const boost::optional<string>& password = boost::none) : m_uri(uri), m_username(username), m_password(password) {}
+
+    monero_rpc_connection(const boost::optional<string>& uri = boost::none, const boost::optional<string>& username = boost::none, const boost::optional<string>& password = boost::none) : m_uri(uri), m_username(username), m_password(password) {}
+    rapidjson::Value to_rapidjson_val(rapidjson::Document::AllocatorType& allocator) const;
   };
 
   // forward declarations
diff --git a/src/wallet/monero_wallet.h b/src/wallet/monero_wallet.h
index e7a06ca..510151d 100644
--- a/src/wallet/monero_wallet.h
+++ b/src/wallet/monero_wallet.h
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ namespace monero {
      *
      * @param connection is the connection to set
      */
-    virtual void set_daemon_connection(const monero_rpc_connection& connection) {
+    virtual void set_daemon_connection(const boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection>& connection) {
       throw runtime_error("set_daemon_connection() not supported");
     }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ namespace monero {
      *
      * @return the wallet's daemon connection
      */
-    virtual shared_ptr<monero_rpc_connection> get_daemon_connection() const {
+    virtual boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection> get_daemon_connection() const {
       throw runtime_error("get_daemon_connection() not supported");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.cpp b/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.cpp
index 63b4978..553d198 100644
--- a/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.cpp
@@ -945,23 +945,24 @@ namespace monero {
 //    try { is_trusted = tools::is_local_address(uri); }  // wallet is trusted iff local
 //    catch (const exception &e) { }
 
-    // manually set ssl by https prefix because http_client's if (ssl_options) set by wallet2 evaluates to true despite http  // TODO
-    epee::net_utils::ssl_options_t ssl_options = uri.rfind("https", 0) == 0 ? epee::net_utils::ssl_support_t::e_ssl_support_enabled : epee::net_utils::ssl_support_t::e_ssl_support_disabled;
+    // detect ssl TODO: wallet2 does not detect ssl from uri
+    epee::net_utils::ssl_support_t ssl = uri.rfind("https", 0) == 0 ? epee::net_utils::ssl_support_t::e_ssl_support_enabled : epee::net_utils::ssl_support_t::e_ssl_support_disabled;
 
-    // init wallet2 with daemon connection
-    if (!m_w2->init(uri, login, {}, 0, is_trusted, ssl_options)) throw runtime_error("Failed to initialize wallet with daemon connection");
+    // init wallet2 and set daemon connection
+    if (!m_w2->init(uri, login, {}, 0, is_trusted, ssl)) throw runtime_error("Failed to initialize wallet with daemon connection");
     is_connected(); // update m_is_connected cache // TODO: better naming?
   }
 
-  void monero_wallet_core::set_daemon_connection(const monero_rpc_connection& connection) {
-    set_daemon_connection(connection.m_uri, connection.m_username == boost::none ? "" : connection.m_username.get(), connection.m_password == boost::none ? "" : connection.m_password.get());
+  void monero_wallet_core::set_daemon_connection(const boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection>& connection) {
+    if (connection == boost::none) set_daemon_connection("");
+    else set_daemon_connection(connection->m_uri == boost::none ? "" : connection->m_uri.get(), connection->m_username == boost::none ? "" : connection->m_username.get(), connection->m_password == boost::none ? "" : connection->m_password.get());
   }
 
-  shared_ptr<monero_rpc_connection> monero_wallet_core::get_daemon_connection() const {
+  boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection> monero_wallet_core::get_daemon_connection() const {
     MTRACE("monero_wallet_core::get_daemon_connection()");
-    if (m_w2->get_daemon_address().empty()) return nullptr;
-    shared_ptr<monero_rpc_connection> connection = make_shared<monero_rpc_connection>();
-    if (!m_w2->get_daemon_address().empty()) connection->m_uri = m_w2->get_daemon_address();
+    if (m_w2->get_daemon_address().empty()) return boost::none;
+    boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection> connection = monero_rpc_connection();
+    connection->m_uri = m_w2->get_daemon_address();
     if (m_w2->get_daemon_login()) {
       if (!m_w2->get_daemon_login()->username.empty()) connection->m_username = m_w2->get_daemon_login()->username;
       epee::wipeable_string wipeablePassword = m_w2->get_daemon_login()->password;
@@ -3233,7 +3234,7 @@ namespace monero {
   void monero_wallet_core::init_common() {
     MTRACE("monero_wallet_core.cpp init_common()");
     m_w2_listener = unique_ptr<wallet2_listener>(new wallet2_listener(*this, *m_w2));
-    if (get_daemon_connection() == nullptr) m_is_connected = false;
+    if (get_daemon_connection() == boost::none) m_is_connected = false;
     m_is_synced = false;
     m_rescan_on_sync = false;
     m_syncing_enabled = false;
diff --git a/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.h b/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.h
index 7e11339..dfb7200 100644
--- a/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.h
+++ b/src/wallet/monero_wallet_core.h
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ namespace monero {
      * Supported wallet methods.
      */
     void set_daemon_connection(const string& uri, const string& username = "", const string& password = "");
-    void set_daemon_connection(const monero_rpc_connection& connection);
-    shared_ptr<monero_rpc_connection> get_daemon_connection() const;
+    void set_daemon_connection(const boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection>& connection);
+    boost::optional<monero_rpc_connection> get_daemon_connection() const;
     bool is_connected() const;
     bool is_daemon_synced() const;
     bool is_daemon_trusted() const;