diff --git a/common/Makefile.am b/common/Makefile.am
index a3fd85fb..1bc5eeb6 100644
--- a/common/Makefile.am
+++ b/common/Makefile.am
@@ -22,4 +22,5 @@ libcommon_la_SOURCES = \
 
 libcommon_la_LIBADD = \
   -lcrypto \
+  -lssl \
   -lpthread
diff --git a/common/ssl_calls.c b/common/ssl_calls.c
index aa389743..3d37ed6d 100644
--- a/common/ssl_calls.c
+++ b/common/ssl_calls.c
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 */
 
 #include <stdlib.h> /* needed for openssl headers */
+#include <openssl/ssl.h>
+#include <openssl/err.h>
 #include <openssl/rc4.h>
 #include <openssl/md5.h>
 #include <openssl/sha.h>
@@ -37,6 +39,22 @@
 #define OLD_RSA_GEN1
 #endif
 
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int
+ssl_init(void)
+{
+  SSL_load_error_strings();
+  SSL_library_init();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int
+ssl_finish(void)
+{
+  return 0;
+}
+
 /* rc4 stuff */
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
diff --git a/common/ssl_calls.h b/common/ssl_calls.h
index 6bbb1672..d78bdb0b 100644
--- a/common/ssl_calls.h
+++ b/common/ssl_calls.h
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
 
 #include "arch.h"
 
+int
+ssl_init(void);
+int
+ssl_finish(void);
 void* APP_CC
 ssl_rc4_info_create(void);
 void APP_CC