diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 968d3db..0970c26 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 	-module \
 	-avoid-version \
 	-shared \
-	-lssl \
+	$(OPENSSL_LIBS) \
 	$(LIBPAM) \
 	$(LIBCRYPT)
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 446df9c..2abafda 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
 
+AX_CHECK_OPENSSL([], [AC_MSG_ERROR(["openssl required and not found"])])
+
 # Checks for library functions.
 LT_INIT # Removes 'unrecognized options: --with-libtool-sysroot