diff --git a/core/store/dist/BUILD b/core/store/dist/BUILD
index e3e702c..fb42f8d 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/BUILD
+++ b/core/store/dist/BUILD
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
     "//utils/rest:onlab-rest",
     "//core/store/serializers:onos-core-serializers",
     "@io_netty_netty_transport//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_codec//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_handler//jar",
     "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_epoll//jar",
     "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_unix_common//jar",
+    "@io_netty_netty_codec//jar",
+    "@io_netty_netty_handler//jar",
     "@io_netty_netty_resolver//jar",
     "@commons_math3//jar",
 ]
diff --git a/lib/deps.json b/lib/deps.json
index f21cca0..cc17968 100644
--- a/lib/deps.json
+++ b/lib/deps.json
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@
     "io_netty_netty_common": "mvn:io.netty:netty-common:4.1.27.Final",
     "io_netty_netty_handler": "mvn:io.netty:netty-handler:4.1.27.Final",
     "io_netty_netty_handler_proxy": "mvn:io.netty:netty-handler-proxy:4.1.27.Final",
+    "io_netty_netty_tcnative_boringssl": "mvn:io.netty:netty-tcnative-boringssl-static:2.0.12.Final",
     "io_netty_netty_transport": "mvn:io.netty:netty-transport:4.1.27.Final",
     "io_netty_netty_transport_native_unix_common": "mvn:io.netty:netty-transport-native-unix-common:4.1.27.Final",
     "io_netty_netty_transport-native-epoll": "mvn:io.netty:netty-transport-native-epoll:4.1.27.Final",
diff --git a/protocols/grpc/BUILD b/protocols/grpc/BUILD
index 26e178c..a3f3f46 100644
--- a/protocols/grpc/BUILD
+++ b/protocols/grpc/BUILD
@@ -18,18 +18,6 @@
     "@io_opencensus_opencensus_api//jar",
     "@io_opencensus_opencensus_contrib_grpc_metrics//jar",
     "@com_google_code_gson_gson//jar",
-    # Lazily adding all netty-related packages.
-    # Some of them might not be necessary.
-    "@io_netty_netty//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_buffer//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_codec//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_codec_http//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_codec_http2//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_common//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_handler//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_transport//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_epoll//jar",
-    "@io_netty_netty_resolver//jar",
 ]
 
 onos_app(
diff --git a/protocols/grpc/ctl/BUILD b/protocols/grpc/ctl/BUILD
index ac0703d..475a90e 100644
--- a/protocols/grpc/ctl/BUILD
+++ b/protocols/grpc/ctl/BUILD
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     "//protocols/grpc/proto:onos-protocols-grpc-proto",
     "@io_grpc_grpc_java//core",
     "@io_grpc_grpc_java//netty",
+    "@io_netty_netty_handler//jar",
 ]
 
 osgi_jar(
diff --git a/protocols/grpc/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/grpc/ctl/AbstractGrpcClientController.java b/protocols/grpc/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/grpc/ctl/AbstractGrpcClientController.java
index 375ff32..db29284 100644
--- a/protocols/grpc/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/grpc/ctl/AbstractGrpcClientController.java
+++ b/protocols/grpc/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/grpc/ctl/AbstractGrpcClientController.java
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.Striped;
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannel;
-import io.grpc.ManagedChannelBuilder;
+import io.grpc.netty.GrpcSslContexts;
 import io.grpc.netty.NettyChannelBuilder;
+import io.netty.handler.ssl.NotSslRecordException;
+import io.netty.handler.ssl.SslContext;
+import io.netty.handler.ssl.util.InsecureTrustManagerFactory;
 import org.onosproject.event.AbstractListenerManager;
 import org.onosproject.event.Event;
 import org.onosproject.event.EventListener;
@@ -36,12 +39,14 @@
 import org.osgi.service.component.annotations.ReferenceCardinality;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 
+import javax.net.ssl.SSLException;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.Lock;
 import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkState;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
 
 /**
@@ -91,10 +96,15 @@
     @Override
     public boolean createClient(K clientKey) {
         checkNotNull(clientKey);
-        return withDeviceLock(() -> doCreateClient(clientKey), clientKey.deviceId());
+        /*
+            FIXME we might want to move "useTls" and "fallback" to properties of the netcfg and clientKey
+                  For now, we will first try to connect with TLS (accepting any cert), then fall back to
+                  plaintext for every device
+         */
+        return withDeviceLock(() -> doCreateClient(clientKey, true, true), clientKey.deviceId());
     }
 
-    private boolean doCreateClient(K clientKey) {
+    private boolean doCreateClient(K clientKey, boolean useTls, boolean fallbackToPlainText) {
         DeviceId deviceId = clientKey.deviceId();
         String serverAddr = clientKey.serverAddr();
         int serverPort = clientKey.serverPort();
@@ -112,20 +122,57 @@
                 doRemoveClient(deviceId);
             }
         }
-        log.info("Creating client for {} (server={}:{})...",
-                deviceId, serverAddr, serverPort);
+        log.info("Creating client for {} (server={}:{})...", deviceId, serverAddr, serverPort);
+
+        SslContext sslContext = null;
+        if (useTls) {
+            try {
+                // Accept any server certificate; this is insecure and should not be used in production
+                sslContext = GrpcSslContexts.forClient().trustManager(InsecureTrustManagerFactory.INSTANCE).build();
+            } catch (SSLException e) {
+                log.error("Failed to build SSL Context", e);
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
         GrpcChannelId channelId = GrpcChannelId.of(clientKey.deviceId(), clientKey.toString());
-        ManagedChannelBuilder channelBuilder = NettyChannelBuilder
+        NettyChannelBuilder channelBuilder = NettyChannelBuilder
                 .forAddress(serverAddr, serverPort)
-                .maxInboundMessageSize(DEFAULT_MAX_INBOUND_MSG_SIZE * MEGABYTES)
-                .usePlaintext();
+                .maxInboundMessageSize(DEFAULT_MAX_INBOUND_MSG_SIZE * MEGABYTES);
+        if (sslContext != null) {
+            log.debug("Using SSL for gRPC connection to {}", deviceId);
+            channelBuilder
+                    .sslContext(sslContext)
+                    .useTransportSecurity();
+        } else {
+            checkState(!useTls,
+                    "Not authorized to use plaintext for gRPC connection to {}", deviceId);
+            log.debug("Using plaintext TCP for gRPC connection to {}", deviceId);
+            channelBuilder.usePlaintext();
+        }
 
         ManagedChannel channel;
         try {
             channel = grpcChannelController.connectChannel(channelId, channelBuilder);
         } catch (IOException e) {
-            log.warn("Unable to connect to gRPC server of {}: {}",
-                    clientKey.deviceId(), e.getMessage());
+            for (Throwable cause = e; cause != null; cause = cause.getCause()) {
+                if (useTls && cause instanceof NotSslRecordException) {
+                    // Likely root cause is that server is using plaintext
+                    log.info("Failed to connect to server (device={}) using TLS", deviceId);
+                    log.debug("TLS connection exception", e);
+                    if (fallbackToPlainText) {
+                        log.info("Falling back to plaintext for connection to {}", deviceId);
+                        return doCreateClient(clientKey, false, false);
+                    }
+                }
+                if (!useTls && "Connection reset by peer".equals(cause.getMessage())) {
+                    // Not a great signal, but could indicate the server is expected a TLS connection
+                    log.error("Failed to connect to server (device={}) using plaintext TCP; is the server using TLS?",
+                            deviceId);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            log.warn("Unable to connect to gRPC server for {}", deviceId, e);
             return false;
         }
 
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/generate_workspace.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/generate_workspace.bzl
index 494eedd..69c8326 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/generate_workspace.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/generate_workspace.bzl
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# ***** This file was auto-generated at Tue, 27 Nov 2018 23:06:01 GMT. Do not edit this file manually. *****
+# ***** This file was auto-generated at Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:07:54 GMT. Do not edit this file manually. *****
 # ***** Use onos-lib-gen *****
 
 load("//tools/build/bazel:variables.bzl", "ONOS_GROUP_ID", "ONOS_VERSION")
@@ -771,6 +771,12 @@
             jar_sha256 = "84b00dd1cd25a99b88bd598577825b4be9ad592e2d78b08bd703e7e999fe3498",
             licenses = ["notice"],
             jar_urls = ["http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/io/netty/netty-handler-proxy/4.1.27.Final/netty-handler-proxy-4.1.27.Final.jar"],        )
+    if "io_netty_netty_tcnative_boringssl" not in native.existing_rules():
+        java_import_external(
+            name = "io_netty_netty_tcnative_boringssl",
+            jar_sha256 = "3df756e569504137e90ff368c2fe09f1f953efeddb717d47ed391dfa6ba8b7e3",
+            licenses = ["notice"],
+            jar_urls = ["http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/io/netty/netty-tcnative-boringssl-static/2.0.12.Final/netty-tcnative-boringssl-static-2.0.12.Final.jar"],        )
     if "io_netty_netty_transport" not in native.existing_rules():
         java_import_external(
             name = "io_netty_netty_transport",
@@ -1519,6 +1525,7 @@
 artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_common//:io_netty_netty_common"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-common:jar:4.1.27.Final"
 artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_handler//:io_netty_netty_handler"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-handler:jar:4.1.27.Final"
 artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_handler_proxy//:io_netty_netty_handler_proxy"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-handler-proxy:jar:4.1.27.Final"
+artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_tcnative_boringssl//:io_netty_netty_tcnative_boringssl"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-tcnative-boringssl-static:jar:2.0.12.Final"
 artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_transport//:io_netty_netty_transport"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-transport:jar:4.1.27.Final"
 artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_transport_native_unix_common//:io_netty_netty_transport_native_unix_common"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-transport-native-unix-common:jar:4.1.27.Final"
 artifact_map["@io_netty_netty_transport_native_epoll//:io_netty_netty_transport_native_epoll"] = "mvn:io.netty:netty-transport-native-epoll:jar:4.1.27.Final"
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/modules.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/modules.bzl
index 1872d2b..bead8f2 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/modules.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/modules.bzl
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@
 ]
 
 FEATURES = [
+    "//tools/package/features:onos-netty",
     "//tools/package/features:onos-thirdparty-base",
     "//tools/package/features:onos-thirdparty-web",
     "//tools/package/features:onos-api",
diff --git a/tools/package/etc/org.apache.karaf.features.cfg b/tools/package/etc/org.apache.karaf.features.cfg
index 9a6061c..75112a8 100644
--- a/tools/package/etc/org.apache.karaf.features.cfg
+++ b/tools/package/etc/org.apache.karaf.features.cfg
@@ -30,34 +30,38 @@
 
 #
 # Comma separated list of features to install at startup
+# Groups of features within parens are brought up in parallel
+# Groups of features are brought up sequentially
+# Features without a paren group are assigned to an implicit paren group that ends when the next paren is found
 #
 featuresBoot = \
-    instance/4.2.1, \
-    package/4.2.1, \
-    log/4.2.1, \
-    ssh/4.2.1, \
-    framework/4.2.1, \
-    system/4.2.1, \
-    eventadmin/4.2.1, \
-    feature/4.2.1, \
-    shell/4.2.1, \
-    management/4.2.1, \
-    service/4.2.1, \
-    jaas/4.2.1, \
-    deployer/4.2.1, \
-    diagnostic/4.2.1, \
+    (instance/4.2.1, \
+     package/4.2.1, \
+     log/4.2.1, \
+     framework/4.2.1, \
+     system/4.2.1, \
+     eventadmin/4.2.1, \
+     feature/4.2.1, \
+     shell/4.2.1, \
+     management/4.2.1, \
+     service/4.2.1, \
+     jaas/4.2.1, \
+     deployer/4.2.1, \
+     diagnostic/4.2.1), \
     (wrap/2.5.4), \
-    bundle/4.2.1, \
-    config/4.2.1, \
-    kar/4.2.1, \
-    webconsole/4.2.1, \
-    scr/4.2.1, \
-    war/4.2.1, \
-    onos-api/$ONOS_VERSION, \
-    onos-core/$ONOS_VERSION, \
-    onos-cli/$ONOS_VERSION, \
-    onos-rest/$ONOS_VERSION, \
-    onos-gui/$ONOS_VERSION
+    (bundle/4.2.1, \
+     config/4.2.1, \
+     kar/4.2.1, \
+     webconsole/4.2.1, \
+     scr/4.2.1, \
+     war/4.2.1), \
+    (onos-netty/$ONOS_VERSION), \
+    (onos-api/$ONOS_VERSION, \
+     onos-core/$ONOS_VERSION, \
+     onos-cli/$ONOS_VERSION, \
+     ssh/4.2.1, \
+     onos-rest/$ONOS_VERSION, \
+     onos-gui/$ONOS_VERSION)
 
 
 #
diff --git a/tools/package/features/BUILD b/tools/package/features/BUILD
index 7d31d25..a0c9186 100644
--- a/tools/package/features/BUILD
+++ b/tools/package/features/BUILD
@@ -8,6 +8,27 @@
 )
 
 osgi_feature(
+    name = "onos-netty",
+    description = "ONOS Netty dependencies",
+    included_bundles = [
+        "@io_netty_netty//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_common//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_buffer//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_handler//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_tcnative_boringssl//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_codec//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_codec_http//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_codec_http2//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_transport//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_epoll//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_unix_common//jar",
+        "@io_netty_netty_resolver//jar",
+    ],
+    required_features = [],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
+osgi_feature(
     name = "onos-thirdparty-base",
     description = "ONOS 3rd party dependencies",
     included_bundles = ATOMIX + [
@@ -17,15 +38,6 @@
         "@commons_codec//jar",
         "@commons_configuration//jar",
         "@com_google_guava_guava//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_common//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_buffer//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_transport//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_handler//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_codec//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_epoll//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_transport_native_unix_common//jar",
-        "@io_netty_netty_resolver//jar",
         "@commons_pool//jar",
         "@commons_math3//jar",
         "@joda_time//jar",
@@ -53,7 +65,7 @@
         "@org_osgi_util_function//jar",
         "@org_osgi_util_promise//jar",
     ],
-    required_features = [],
+    required_features = ["onos-netty"],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )