diff --git a/package/python3/python3.mk b/package/python3/python3.mk
index 8bfae79f58..4ca049c986 100644
--- a/package/python3/python3.mk
+++ b/package/python3/python3.mk
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3_SSL),y)
 PYTHON3_DEPENDENCIES += openssl
+else
+PYTHON3_CONF_OPTS += --disable-openssl
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3_CODECSCJK),y)