diff --git a/anki/__init__.py b/anki/__init__.py
index e23a6fc97..80ae7723b 100644
--- a/anki/__init__.py
+++ b/anki/__init__.py
@@ -37,13 +37,15 @@ Save & close:
     col.close()
 """
 
-import sys
+import sys, simplejson as _simplejson
 if sys.version_info[0] > 2:
     raise Exception("Anki should be run with python2.x.")
 elif sys.version_info[1] < 5:
     raise Exception("Anki requires Python 2.5+")
-if sys.getfilesystemencoding().lower() in ("ascii", "ansi_x3.4-1968"):
+elif sys.getfilesystemencoding().lower() in ("ascii", "ansi_x3.4-1968"):
     raise Exception("Anki requires a UTF-8 locale.")
+elif _simplejson.__version__ < "1.7.3":
+    raise Exception("SimpleJSON must be 1.7.3 or later.")
 
 version = "1.99"
 from anki.storage import Collection
diff --git a/anki/consts.py b/anki/consts.py
index ee7223f80..d67dd2915 100644
--- a/anki/consts.py
+++ b/anki/consts.py
@@ -31,16 +31,11 @@ COUNT_REMAINING = 1
 MEDIA_ADD = 0
 MEDIA_REM = 1
 
-# syncing vars
-SYNC_ZIP_SIZE = int(2.5*1024*1024)
-MIME_BOUNDARY = "Anki-sync-boundary"
-SYNC_URL = os.environ.get("SYNC_URL") or "https://ankiweb.net/sync/"
-SYNC_VER = 0
-HTTP_CERTS = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "ankiweb.certs")
-HTTP_TIMEOUT = 30
-
-# deck schema
+# deck schema & syncing vars
 SCHEMA_VERSION = 1
+SYNC_ZIP_SIZE = int(2.5*1024*1024)
+SYNC_URL = os.environ.get("SYNC_URL") or "https://beta.ankiweb.net/sync/"
+SYNC_VER = 0
 
 # Labels
 ##########################################################################
diff --git a/anki/sync.py b/anki/sync.py
index 8ab7db759..640eec359 100644
--- a/anki/sync.py
+++ b/anki/sync.py
@@ -7,22 +7,20 @@ from cStringIO import StringIO
 from datetime import date
 from anki.db import DB
 from anki.errors import *
-from anki.utils import ids2str, checksum, intTime, httpCon
+from anki.utils import ids2str, checksum, intTime
 from anki.consts import *
 from anki.lang import _
 from hooks import runHook
 
-if simplejson.__version__ < "1.7.3":
-    raise Exception("SimpleJSON must be 1.7.3 or later.")
+# syncing vars
+HTTP_CERTS = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "ankiweb.certs")
+HTTP_TIMEOUT = 30
 
-# - make sure /sync/download is compressed
-# - status() should be using the hooks instead
-
-# todo:
-# - ability to cancel
-# - need to make sure syncing doesn't bump the col modified time if nothing was
-#    changed, since by default closing the col bumps the mod time
-# - ensure the user doesn't add foreign chars to passsword
+def httpCon():
+    return httplib2.Http(
+        timeout=HTTP_TIMEOUT, ca_certs=HTTP_CERTS,
+        # python2 doesn't support SNI
+        disable_ssl_certificate_validation="beta" in SYNC_URL)
 
 # Incremental syncing
 ##########################################################################
@@ -410,7 +408,8 @@ class HttpSyncer(object):
 
     def req(self, method, fobj=None, comp=6,
                  badAuthRaises=True, hkey=True):
-        bdry = "--"+MIME_BOUNDARY
+        BOUNDARY="Anki-sync-boundary"
+        bdry = "--"+BOUNDARY
         buf = StringIO()
         # compression flag and session key as post vars
         vars = {}
@@ -445,7 +444,7 @@ Content-Type: application/octet-stream\r\n\r\n""")
         size = buf.tell()
         # connection headers
         headers = {
-            'Content-Type': 'multipart/form-data; boundary=%s' % MIME_BOUNDARY,
+            'Content-Type': 'multipart/form-data; boundary=%s' % BOUNDARY,
             'Content-Length': str(size),
         }
         body = buf.getvalue()
diff --git a/anki/utils.py b/anki/utils.py
index fd574c7ee..a0d5574c4 100644
--- a/anki/utils.py
+++ b/anki/utils.py
@@ -302,13 +302,3 @@ def call(argv, wait=True, **kwargs):
 
 isMac = sys.platform.startswith("darwin")
 isWin = sys.platform.startswith("win32")
-
-# OS helpers
-##############################################################################
-
-def httpCon():
-    disable = os.environ.get("SSL_NOVALIDATE") or False
-    return httplib2.Http(
-        timeout=HTTP_TIMEOUT,
-        disable_ssl_certificate_validation=disable,
-        ca_certs=HTTP_CERTS)
diff --git a/tests/test_remote_sync.py b/tests/test_remote_sync.py
index 36b5db5fe..b15f2ee3a 100644
--- a/tests/test_remote_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_remote_sync.py
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import nose, os, tempfile, shutil, time
 from tests.shared import assertException
 
 from anki.errors import *
-from anki.utils import intTime, httpCon
+from anki.utils import intTime
 from anki.sync import Syncer, FullSyncer, LocalServer, RemoteServer, \
-    MediaSyncer, RemoteMediaServer
+    MediaSyncer, RemoteMediaServer, httpCon
 from anki.notes import Note
 from anki.cards import Card
 from tests.shared import getEmptyDeck