diff --git a/CONFIG b/CONFIG
index 9e636276b..c1946fca6 100644
--- a/CONFIG
+++ b/CONFIG
@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@ CONFIG_URING=n
 # Path to custom built IO_URING library
 CONFIG_URING_PATH=
 
+# Path to custom built OPENSSL library
+CONFIG_OPENSSL_PATH=
+
 # Build with FUSE support
 CONFIG_FUSE=n
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 87d016c73..50bd16aef 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ function usage() {
 	echo " --without-uring           If an argument is provided, it is considered a directory containing"
 	echo "                           liburing.a and io_uring.h. Otherwise the regular system paths will"
 	echo "                           be searched."
+	echo " --with-openssl[=DIR]      Build OPENSSL with custom path. Otherwise the regular system paths will"
+	echo "                           be searched."
 	echo " --with-fuse               Build FUSE components for mounting a blobfs filesystem."
 	echo " --without-fuse            No path required."
 	echo " --with-nvme-cuse          Build NVMe driver with support for CUSE-based character devices."
@@ -586,6 +588,10 @@ for i in "$@"; do
 			CONFIG[URING]=n
 			CONFIG[URING_PATH]=
 			;;
+		--with-openssl=*)
+			check_dir "$i"
+			CONFIG[OPENSSL_PATH]=$(readlink -f ${i#*=})
+			;;
 		--with-fuse)
 			CONFIG[FUSE]=y
 			;;
diff --git a/mk/spdk.common.mk b/mk/spdk.common.mk
index c378f3229..9e00225c4 100644
--- a/mk/spdk.common.mk
+++ b/mk/spdk.common.mk
@@ -285,12 +285,17 @@ SYS_LIBS += -lcrypto
 SYS_LIBS += -lm
 
 PKGCONF ?= pkg-config
+ifneq ($(strip $(CONFIG_OPENSSL_PATH)),)
+CFLAGS += -I$(CONFIG_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
+LDFLAGS += -L$(CONFIG_OPENSSL_PATH)
+else
 # `libssl11` name is unique to Centos7 via EPEL
 # So it's safe to add it here without additional check for Centos7
 ifeq ($(shell $(PKGCONF) --exists libssl11 && echo 1),1)
 CFLAGS  += $(shell $(PKGCONF) --cflags libssl11)
 LDFLAGS += $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libssl11)
 endif
+endif
 
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_NVME_CUSE)$(CONFIG_FUSE),nn)
 SYS_LIBS += -lfuse3