diff --git a/package/netsnmp/Config.in b/package/netsnmp/Config.in
index f22e38b335..dff0f18bee 100644
--- a/package/netsnmp/Config.in
+++ b/package/netsnmp/Config.in
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 config BR2_PACKAGE_NETSNMP
 	bool "netsnmp"
 	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # fork()
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBOPENSSL_ENABLE_DES if BR2_PACKAGE_LIBOPENSSL
 	help
 	  Suite of applications used to implement SNMP v1, SNMP v2c, and
 	  SNMP v3 using both IPv4 and IPv6.