diff --git a/.github/workflows/coverage.yml b/.github/workflows/coverage.yml
index 57cc9781..ccf6895a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/coverage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/coverage.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v2
       -
         name: packages
-        run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y libmosquitto1 libmosquitto-dev
+        run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y libmosquitto1 libmosquitto-dev libssl1.1 libssl-dev
       -
         name: build
         run: cmake -Dcoverage=1 -DBUILD_TESTING=1 . && make
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c2b3b31d..43d968e5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ Building ebusd from the source requires the following packages and/or features:
  * kernel with pselect or ppoll support
  * glibc with argp support or argp-standalone
  * libmosquitto-dev for MQTT support
+ * libssl-dev for SSL support
 
 To start the build process, run these commands:  
 > ./autogen.sh  
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 976dee7b..d2547140 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -63,6 +63,18 @@ if test "x$with_mqtt" != "xno"; then
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL([MQTT], [test "x$with_mqtt" != "xno"])
 
+AC_ARG_WITH(ssl, AS_HELP_STRING([--without-ssl], [disable support for SSL]), [], [with_ssl=yes])
+if test "x$with_ssl" != "xno"; then
+	AC_CHECK_LIB([ssl], [OPENSSL_init_ssl],
+		[AC_CHECK_LIB([crypto], [CRYPTO_new_ex_data],
+         		[AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(HAVE_SSL, [1], [Defined if SSL is enabled.])],
+         		[AC_MSG_RESULT([Could not find CRYPTO_new_ex_data in libcrypto.])
+         		with_ssl="no"])],
+		[AC_MSG_RESULT([Could not find SSL_library_init in libssl.])
+		with_ssl="no"])
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL([SSL], [test "x$with_ssl" != "xno"])
+
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for direct float format conversion])
 AC_TRY_RUN(
 	[
diff --git a/contrib/docker/Dockerfile b/contrib/docker/Dockerfile
index 1f50d894..d330e635 100755
--- a/contrib/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/contrib/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ ARG BASE_IMAGE
 FROM $BASE_IMAGE as build
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    libmosquitto-dev libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
+    libmosquitto-dev libssl-dev libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
     curl \
     autoconf automake g++ make git \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ RUN ./make_debian.sh
 FROM $BASE_IMAGE-slim as image
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    libmosquitto1 libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
+    libmosquitto1 libssl1.1 libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 LABEL maintainer="ebusd@ebusd.eu"
diff --git a/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.release b/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.release
index 470802d9..4b30a81a 100644
--- a/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.release
+++ b/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.release
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ ARG BASE_IMAGE
 FROM $BASE_IMAGE as build
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    libmosquitto-dev libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
+    libmosquitto-dev libssl-dev libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
     curl \
     autoconf automake g++ make git \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ RUN ./make_debian.sh
 FROM $BASE_IMAGE-slim as image
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    libmosquitto1 libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
+    libmosquitto1 libssl1.1 libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 LABEL maintainer="ebusd@ebusd.eu"
diff --git a/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.template b/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.template
index 94bb9bb8..3be96cf7 100644
--- a/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/contrib/docker/Dockerfile.template
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ ARG BASE_IMAGE
 FROM $BASE_IMAGE as build
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    libmosquitto-dev libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
+    libmosquitto-dev libssl-dev libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
     curl \
     autoconf automake g++ make git \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ RUN %EBUSD_MAKE%
 FROM $BASE_IMAGE-slim as image
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    libmosquitto1 libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
+    libmosquitto1 libssl1.1 libstdc++6 libc6 libgcc1 \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 LABEL maintainer="ebusd@ebusd.eu"
diff --git a/make_debian.sh b/make_debian.sh
index 96bf9943..1d866536 100755
--- a/make_debian.sh
+++ b/make_debian.sh
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ else
     mqtt=1
   fi
 fi
+ldd $RELEASE/usr/bin/ebusd | egrep -q libssl.so.1.1
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+  extralibs="$extralibs, libssl1.1 (>= 1.1.1)"
+fi
 
 if [ -n "$RUNTEST" ]; then
   echo
diff --git a/src/ebusd/Makefile.am b/src/ebusd/Makefile.am
index 9e19b7c9..0ecbf5a2 100644
--- a/src/ebusd/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/ebusd/Makefile.am
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ ebusd_LDADD = ../lib/utils/libutils.a \
 	      -lpthread \
 	      @EXTRA_LIBS@
 
+if SSL
+ebusd_LDADD += -lssl -lcrypto
+endif
+
 if CONTRIB
 ebusd_LDADD += ../lib/ebus/contrib/libebuscontrib.a
 endif