diff --git a/package/libssh/Config.in b/package/libssh/Config.in
index a6cf1f8960..cde73a0d87 100644
--- a/package/libssh/Config.in
+++ b/package/libssh/Config.in
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH
 	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # fork()
 	depends on !BR2_STATIC_LIBS
 	depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_THREADS
-	# Either OpenSSL or libgcrypt are mandatory
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL if !BR2_PACKAGE_LIBGCRYPT
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL if !(BR2_PACKAGE_MBEDTLS || BR2_PACKAGE_LIBGCRYPT)
 	help
 	  libssh is a multiplatform C library implementing the SSHv2
 	  and SSHv1 protocol on client and server side. With libssh,
@@ -20,6 +19,25 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_SERVER
 	help
 	  Enable libssh server support
 
+choice
+	prompt "Crypto Backend"
+	help
+	  Select crypto library to be used in libssh.
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_MBEDTLS
+	bool "mbedtls"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_MBEDTLS
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_LIBGCRYPT
+	bool "gcrypt"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_LIBGCRYPT
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_OPENSSL
+	bool "openssl"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL
+
+endchoice
+
 endif
 
 comment "libssh needs a toolchain w/ dynamic library, threads"
diff --git a/package/libssh/libssh.mk b/package/libssh/libssh.mk
index 161040b346..52517a5dd0 100644
--- a/package/libssh/libssh.mk
+++ b/package/libssh/libssh.mk
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ else
 LIBSSH_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_ZLIB=OFF
 endif
 
-# Dependency is either on libgcrypt or openssl, guaranteed in Config.in.
-# Favour libgcrypt.
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBGCRYPT),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_MBEDTLS),y)
+LIBSSH_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_MBEDTLS=ON
+LIBSSH_DEPENDENCIES += mbedtls
+else ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_LIBGCRYPT),y)
 LIBSSH_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_GCRYPT=ON
 LIBSSH_DEPENDENCIES += libgcrypt
-else
-LIBSSH_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_GCRYPT=OFF
+else ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH_OPENSSL),y)
 LIBSSH_DEPENDENCIES += openssl
 endif