diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 56a12cb..866ee90 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -24,16 +24,20 @@ function MailListener(options) {
   this.attachmentOptions = options.attachmentOptions || {};
   this.attachments = options.attachments || false;
   this.attachmentOptions.directory = (this.attachmentOptions.directory ? this.attachmentOptions.directory : '');
-  this.imap = new Imap({
-    xoauth2: options.xoauth2,
-    user: options.username,
-    password: options.password,
-    host: options.host,
-    port: options.port,
-    tls: options.tls,
-    tlsOptions: options.tlsOptions || {}
-  });
 
+  if (!options.imap) {
+    options.imap = {
+      xoauth2: options.xoauth2,
+      user: options.username,
+      password: options.password,
+      host: options.host,
+      port: options.port,
+      tls: options.tls,
+      tlsOptions: options.tlsOptions || {}
+    };
+  }
+
+  this.imap = new Imap(options.imap);
   this.imap.once('ready', imapReady.bind(this));
   this.imap.once('close', imapClose.bind(this));
   this.imap.on('error', imapError.bind(this));
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 95a586d..712d0c6 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -21,12 +21,14 @@ JavaScript Code:
 var MailListener = require("mail-listener2");
 
 var mailListener = new MailListener({
-  username: "imap-username",
-  password: "imap-password",
-  host: "imap-host",
-  port: 993, // imap port
-  tls: true,
-  tlsOptions: { rejectUnauthorized: false },
+  imap: { // please refer to the node-imap documentation for more details on configuration
+    user: "imap-username",
+    password: "imap-password",
+    host: "imap-host",
+    port: 993, // imap port
+    tls: true,
+    tlsOptions: { rejectUnauthorized: false }
+  },
   mailbox: "INBOX", // mailbox to monitor
   searchFilter: ["UNSEEN", "FLAGGED"], // the search filter being used after an IDLE notification has been retrieved
   markSeen: true, // all fetched email willbe marked as seen and not fetched next time
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index c22f3b5..10e564d 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 var MailListener = require("./");
 
 var mailListener = new MailListener({
-  username: "xxxx",
-  password: "xxx",
-  host: "imap.gmail.com",
-  port: 993,
-  tls: true,
-  tlsOptions: { rejectUnauthorized: false },
+  imap: {
+    user: "xxxx",
+    password: "xxx",
+    host: "imap.gmail.com",
+    port: 993,
+    tls: true,
+    tlsOptions: { rejectUnauthorized: false }
+  },
   mailbox: "INBOX",
   markSeen: true,
   fetchUnreadOnStart: true,