diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/3.7/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/3.7/default.nix
index 9cc0377f925f..410d07ebc61c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/3.7/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/3.7/default.nix
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation {
     "--without-ensurepip"
     "--with-system-expat"
     "--with-system-ffi"
+    "--with-openssl=${openssl.dev}"
   ];
 
   preConfigure = ''