diff --git a/thirdpart/seaserv/service.py b/thirdpart/seaserv/service.py
index e6fe3cc444..cfd2f51371 100644
--- a/thirdpart/seaserv/service.py
+++ b/thirdpart/seaserv/service.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import ConfigParser
 
 import ccnet
 import seafile
+import re
 from pysearpc import SearpcError
 
 ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES = ('CCNET_CONF_DIR', 'SEAFILE_CONF_DIR')
@@ -75,7 +76,12 @@ config.read(os.path.join(CCNET_CONF_PATH, 'ccnet.conf'))
 if config.has_option('General', 'SERVICE_URL') and \
    config.has_option('Network', 'PORT'):
     service_url = config.get('General', 'SERVICE_URL')
-    service_url = service_url.lstrip('http://').lstrip('https://')
+
+    if service_url.startswith('http://'):
+        service_url = service_url[7:]
+    elif service_url.startswith('https://'):
+        service_url = service_url[8:]
+
     if ':' in service_url:
         # strip http port such as ':8000' in 'http://192.168.1.101:8000'
         idx = service_url.index(':')