diff --git a/etc/emqx.conf b/etc/emqx.conf
index f7dccfd27..19f85a877 100644
--- a/etc/emqx.conf
+++ b/etc/emqx.conf
@@ -1651,6 +1651,12 @@ listener.ssl.external.reuseaddr = true
 ## Value: true | false
 ## listener.ssl.external.gc_after_handshake = false
 
+## hibernate the SSL process after idling for amount of time
+## Default: undefined (off)
+##
+## Value: Duration
+## listener.ssl.external.hibernate_after = 5s
+
 ##--------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## External WebSocket listener for MQTT protocol
 
diff --git a/priv/emqx.schema b/priv/emqx.schema
index b6b267abf..1b5232b51 100644
--- a/priv/emqx.schema
+++ b/priv/emqx.schema
@@ -1604,6 +1604,11 @@ end}.
   {datatype, {enum, [true, false]}}
 ]}.
 
+{mapping, "listener.ssl.$name.hibernate_after", "emqx.listeners", [
+  {default, undefined},
+  {datatype, {duration, ms}}
+]}.
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% MQTT/WebSocket Listeners
 
@@ -2228,7 +2233,8 @@ end}.
                           {reuse_sessions, cuttlefish:conf_get(Prefix ++ ".reuse_sessions", Conf, undefined)},
                           {honor_cipher_order, cuttlefish:conf_get(Prefix ++ ".honor_cipher_order", Conf, undefined)},
                           {log_level, cuttlefish:conf_get(Prefix ++ ".log_level", Conf, undefined)},
-                          {gc_after_handshake, cuttlefish:conf_get(Prefix ++ ".gc_after_handshake", Conf, undefined)}
+                          {gc_after_handshake, cuttlefish:conf_get(Prefix ++ ".gc_after_handshake", Conf, undefined)},
+                          {hibernate_after, cuttlefish:conf_get(Prefix ++ ".hibernate_after", Conf, undefined)}
                          ])
               end,