diff --git a/nselib/pop3.lua b/nselib/pop3.lua
index 62cf18b3f..ded922644 100644
--- a/nselib/pop3.lua
+++ b/nselib/pop3.lua
@@ -151,44 +151,49 @@ end
 -- @return Table containing capabilities or nil on error.
 -- @return nil or String error message.
 function capabilities(host, port)
-   local socket = nmap.new_socket()
-   local capas = {}
-   local opts = {timeout=10000, recv_before=true}
-   local i = 1
 
-   local socket, line, bopt, first_line = comm.tryssl(host, port, "CAPA\r\n" , opts)
-   if not socket then return nil, "Could Not Connect" end
-   if not stat(first_line) then return nil, "No Response" end
+   local socket, line, bopt, first_line = comm.tryssl(host, port, "" , {timeout=10000, recv_before=true})
+   if not socket then
+      return nil, "Could Not Connect"
+   end
+   if not stat(first_line) then
+      return nil, "No Response"
+   end
   
-   if string.find(first_line, "<[%p%w]+>") then capas.APOP = true end
+   local capas = {}
+   if string.find(first_line, "<[%p%w]+>") then
+      capas.APOP = {}
+   end
    
-   local lines = stdnse.strsplit("\r\n",line)
-   local line = lines[1]
-
-   if not stat(line) then 
-      capas.capa = false
-   else 
-      while line do
-	 if line ~= "." then
-	    local capability = string.sub(line, string.find(line, "[%w-]+"))
-	    line = string.sub(line, #capability + 1)
-	    capas[capability] = true
-	    local args = {}
-	    local w
-	    for w in string.gmatch(line, "[%w-]+") do
-	       table.insert(args, w)
-	    end
-	    if #args == 1 then capas[capability] = args[1]
-	    else if #args > 1 then capas[capability] = args 
-	    end end
-	 else
-	    break 
-	 end
-	 line = lines[i]
-	 i = i + 1
-      end
+   local status = socket:send("CAPA\r\n")
+   if( not(status) ) then
+	  return nil, "Failed to send"
+   end
+  
+   status, line = socket:receive_buf("%.", false)
+   if( not(status) ) then
+      return nil, "Failed to receive"
    end
    socket:close()
+
+   local lines = stdnse.strsplit("\r\n",line)
+   if not stat(table.remove(lines,1)) then 
+      capas.capa = false
+      return capas
+   end 
+   
+   for _, line in ipairs(lines) do
+	  if ( line and #line>0 ) then
+	    local capability = line:sub(line:find("[%w-]+"))
+	    line = line:sub(#capability + 2)
+		if ( line ~= "" ) then
+			capas[capability] = stdnse.strsplit(" ", line)
+		else
+			capas[capability] = {}
+		end
+	  end
+   end
+   
    return capas
 end
 
diff --git a/scripts/pop3-capabilities.nse b/scripts/pop3-capabilities.nse
index f2bf97066..ed9ad516e 100644
--- a/scripts/pop3-capabilities.nse
+++ b/scripts/pop3-capabilities.nse
@@ -27,29 +27,22 @@ categories = {"default","discovery","safe"}
 portrule = shortport.port_or_service({110,995},{"pop3","pop3s"})
 
 action = function(host, port)
-  local capa, err = pop3.capabilities(host, port)
-  if type(capa) == "table" then
-     -- Convert the capabilities table into an array of strings.
-     local capstrings = {}
-     local cap, args
-     for cap, args in pairs(capa) do
-	local capstr = cap
-	if type(args) == "string" then capstr = capstr .. "(" .. args .. ")" end
-	if type(args) == "table" then
-	   local arg
-	   capstr = capstr .. "("
-	   for i, arg in ipairs(args) do
-	      capstr = capstr .. arg .. " "
-	   end
-	   capstr = string.sub(capstr, 1, #capstr - 1) .. ")"
+	local capa, err = pop3.capabilities(host, port)
+	if type(capa) == "table" then
+ 		-- Convert the capabilities table into an array of strings.
+		local capstrings = {}
+		for cap, args in pairs(capa) do
+			if ( #args > 0 ) then
+				table.insert(capstrings, ("%s(%s)"):format(cap, stdnse.strjoin(" ", args)))
+			else
+				table.insert(capstrings, cap)
+			end
+     	end
+		return stdnse.strjoin(" ", capstrings)
+	elseif type(err) == "string" then
+		stdnse.print_debug(1, "%s: '%s' for %s", SCRIPT_NAME, err, host.ip)
+		return
+	else
+		return "server doesn't support CAPA"
 	end
-	table.insert(capstrings, capstr)
-     end
-     return stdnse.strjoin(" ", capstrings)
-  elseif type(err) == "string" then
-     stdnse.print_debug(1, "%s: '%s' for %s", SCRIPT_NAME, err, host.ip)
-     return
-  else
-     return "server doesn't support CAPA"
-  end
 end