diff --git a/configs/qemu_ppc64_e5500_defconfig b/configs/qemu_ppc64_e5500_defconfig
index e4a7518f32..8173a0251b 100644
--- a/configs/qemu_ppc64_e5500_defconfig
+++ b/configs/qemu_ppc64_e5500_defconfig
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="4.15.7"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG="corenet64_smp"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CONFIG_FRAGMENT_FILES="board/qemu/ppc64-e5500/linux.fragment"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_NEEDS_HOST_OPENSSL=y
 
 # Filesystem
 BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_EXT2=y