diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f4db2cf2a..e2d3bc7dc 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ project (crow_all)
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH} "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/")
 find_package(Tcmalloc)
 find_package(Threads)
+find_package(OpenSSL)
+if(OPENSSL_FOUND)
+  include_directories(${OPENSSL_INCLUDE_DIR})
+endif()
 
 if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
     message(STATUS "No build type selected, default to Release")
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 1e96dea22..ef65f026c 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@ add_executable(helloworld helloworld.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(helloworld ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
 target_link_libraries(helloworld ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
 
+if (OPENSSL_FOUND)
 add_executable(example_ssl ssl/example_ssl.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(example_ssl ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
-target_link_libraries(example_ssl ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ssl crypto)
+target_link_libraries(example_ssl ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES})
+endif()
 
 add_executable(example_websocket websocket/example_ws.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(example_websocket ${Boost_LIBRARIES})