diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 246dc1bf..e6556be5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ Cowboy does nothing by default.
 
 Cowboy uses Ranch for handling connections, and provides convenience
 functions to start and stop Ranch listeners. The Ranch application
-must always be started before Cowboy.
+must always be started before Cowboy. The crypto application must
+also be started.
 
 The `cowboy:start_http/4` function will handle HTTP connections
 using the TCP transport. Similarly, `cowboy:start_https/4` will
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ HTTP listener. It redirects all requests to the `my_handler`
 module.
 
 ``` erlang
+application:start(crypto),
 application:start(ranch),
 application:start(cowboy),
 Dispatch = [
diff --git a/examples/chunked_hello_world/src/chunked_hello_world.erl b/examples/chunked_hello_world/src/chunked_hello_world.erl
index 5c13f0ed..78c771f9 100644
--- a/examples/chunked_hello_world/src/chunked_hello_world.erl
+++ b/examples/chunked_hello_world/src/chunked_hello_world.erl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 %% API.
 
 start() ->
+	ok = application:start(crypto),
 	ok = application:start(ranch),
 	ok = application:start(cowboy),
 	ok = application:start(chunked_hello_world).
diff --git a/examples/echo_get/src/echo_get.erl b/examples/echo_get/src/echo_get.erl
index a8f89561..6ffff41c 100644
--- a/examples/echo_get/src/echo_get.erl
+++ b/examples/echo_get/src/echo_get.erl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 %% API.
 
 start() ->
+	ok = application:start(crypto),
 	ok = application:start(ranch),
 	ok = application:start(cowboy),
 	ok = application:start(echo_get).
diff --git a/examples/echo_post/src/echo_post.erl b/examples/echo_post/src/echo_post.erl
index 9c47b9c2..c7c8ce18 100644
--- a/examples/echo_post/src/echo_post.erl
+++ b/examples/echo_post/src/echo_post.erl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 %% API.
 
 start() ->
+	ok = application:start(crypto),
 	ok = application:start(ranch),
 	ok = application:start(cowboy),
 	ok = application:start(echo_post).
diff --git a/examples/hello_world/src/hello_world.erl b/examples/hello_world/src/hello_world.erl
index 301c6d2f..d62ff4bf 100644
--- a/examples/hello_world/src/hello_world.erl
+++ b/examples/hello_world/src/hello_world.erl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 %% API.
 
 start() ->
+	ok = application:start(crypto),
 	ok = application:start(ranch),
 	ok = application:start(cowboy),
 	ok = application:start(hello_world).
diff --git a/examples/rest_hello_world/src/rest_hello_world.erl b/examples/rest_hello_world/src/rest_hello_world.erl
index bdd24cca..e2b7463b 100644
--- a/examples/rest_hello_world/src/rest_hello_world.erl
+++ b/examples/rest_hello_world/src/rest_hello_world.erl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 %% API.
 
 start() ->
+	ok = application:start(crypto),
 	ok = application:start(ranch),
 	ok = application:start(cowboy),
 	ok = application:start(rest_hello_world).
diff --git a/examples/static/src/static.erl b/examples/static/src/static.erl
index c3f40359..d3eb3192 100644
--- a/examples/static/src/static.erl
+++ b/examples/static/src/static.erl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 %% API.
 
 start() ->
+	ok = application:start(crypto),
 	ok = application:start(ranch),
 	ok = application:start(cowboy),
 	ok = application:start(static).