diff --git a/package/mariadb/mariadb.mk b/package/mariadb/mariadb.mk
index bc22642beb..8aa10d6de1 100644
--- a/package/mariadb/mariadb.mk
+++ b/package/mariadb/mariadb.mk
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ MARIADB_CONF_OPTS += \
 	-DMYSQL_DATADIR=/var/lib/mysql \
 	-DMYSQL_UNIX_ADDR=$(MYSQL_SOCKET)
 
-HOST_MARIADB_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_SSL=OFF
+HOST_MARIADB_DEPENDENCIES = host-openssl
+HOST_MARIADB_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_SSL=system
 
 # Some helpers must be compiled for host in order to crosscompile mariadb for
 # the target. They are then included by import_executables.cmake which is