diff --git a/common_mk/openssl_flags.mk b/common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b709e7aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH ?=
+
+OPENSSL_PACKAGE := openssl
+
+ifeq ($(DISTRO),almalinux)
+ifeq ($(CENTOSVER),8)
+    OPENSSL_PACKAGE := openssl3
+endif
+endif
+
+$(info OPENSSL_PACKAGE: $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE))
+
+# Use pkg-config to get the compiler and linker flags for OpenSSL if CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH is not set
+ifeq ($(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH),)
+    $(info No custom path specified.)
+    ifeq ($(OPENSSL_PACKAGE),openssl3)
+        SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+        SSL_LDIR := $(shell pkg-config --variable=libdir $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE))
+        LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libssl.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+        LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+    else
+        SSL_IDIR := $(shell export PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_CFLAGS=1; export PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_LIBS=1; pkg-config --cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+        SSL_LDIR := $(shell pkg-config --variable=libdir $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE))
+        LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+        LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+    endif
+else
+    SSL_IDIR := $(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
+    SSL_LDIR := $(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib64
+    LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+    LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)	
+    $(info Using custom OpenSSL path: $(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH))
+endif
+
+# Check if required flags are set and provide feedback
+ifneq ($(SSL_IDIR),)
+ifneq ($(SSL_LDIR),)
+    $(info SSL_IDIR: $(SSL_IDIR))
+    $(info SSL_LDIR: $(SSL_LDIR))
+    $(info LIB_SSL_PATH: $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
+    $(info LIB_CRYPTO_PATH: $(LIB_CRYPTO_PATH))
+else
+    $(error Warning: OpenSSL libraries directory (SSL_LDIR) not found. Exiting. Please ensure the correct path is set or install OpenSSL version 3.)
+endif
+else
+    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers (SSL_IDIR) not found. Exiting. Please install OpenSSL version 3.)
+endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common_mk/openssl_version_check.mk b/common_mk/openssl_version_check.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fceccbca1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common_mk/openssl_version_check.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+REQUIRED_OPENSSL_VERSION := 3.0.0
+
+$(info OPENSSL_PACKAGE: $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE))
+
+check_openssl_version:
+	@echo "Checking OpenSSL version..."
+	@if [ -n "$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)" ]; then \
+		echo "Using custom OpenSSL path: $(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)"; \
+		header_path="$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include/openssl/opensslv.h"; \
+		if [ ! -f "$$header_path" ]; then \
+			echo "OpenSSL header file not found at $$header_path"; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+		version_number=$$(grep -oP '# define OPENSSL_VERSION_STR "\K[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-[a-zA-Z0-9]+)?' $$header_path | tr -d '[:space:]'); \
+		if [ -z "$$version_number" ]; then \
+			echo "Failed to extract OPENSSL_VERSION_STR from $$header_path"; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+		major=$$(echo $$version_number | cut -d'.' -f1); \
+		minor=$$(echo $$version_number | cut -d'.' -f2); \
+		patch=$$(echo $$version_number | cut -d'.' -f3); \
+		echo "Detected OpenSSL version from header: $$major.$$minor.$$patch"; \
+		required_major=3; \
+		required_minor=0; \
+		required_patch=0; \
+		if [ $$major -gt $$required_major ] || { [ $$major -eq $$required_major ] && { [ $$minor -gt $$required_minor ] || { [ $$minor -eq $$required_minor ] && [ $$patch -ge $$required_patch ]; }; }; }; then \
+			echo "OpenSSL version is valid."; \
+		else \
+			echo "OpenSSL version must be >= $(REQUIRED_OPENSSL_VERSION). Detected: $$major.$$minor.$$patch"; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+	else \
+		echo "Using pkg-config to detect OpenSSL"; \
+		openssl_version=$$(pkg-config --modversion $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) 2>/dev/null); \
+		if [ -z "$$openssl_version" ]; then \
+			echo "OpenSSL not found via pkg-config."; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+		echo "Detected OpenSSL version from pkg-config: $$openssl_version"; \
+		if [ "$$(printf '%s\n' "$(REQUIRED_OPENSSL_VERSION)" "$$openssl_version" | sort -V | head -n1)" != "$(REQUIRED_OPENSSL_VERSION)" ]; then \
+			echo "OpenSSL version must be >= $(REQUIRED_OPENSSL_VERSION). Detected: $$openssl_version"; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+	fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/deps/Makefile b/deps/Makefile
index 964fe6f0d..7c8fcc85e 100644
--- a/deps/Makefile
+++ b/deps/Makefile
@@ -76,41 +76,8 @@ endif
 
 libinjection: libinjection/libinjection/src/libinjection.a
 
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-ifeq ($(DISTRO),almalinux)
-ifeq ($(CENTOSVER),8)
-	ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl3/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libcrypto.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-endif
-else
-endif
-SSL_LDIR := $(dir $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-	SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path)))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-    $(info OpenSSL lib full path is $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
-    $(info OpenSSL libs directory is $(SSL_LDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl version 3.)
-endif
-
-OPENSSL_VERSION_3 := 3.0.0
-check_openssl_version:
-	@if [[ "$(DISTRO)" = "almalinux" && "$(CENTOSVER)" = "8" ]]; then \
-		@current_version=$$(openssl3 version | awk '{print $$2}'); \
-	else \
-		@current_version=$$(openssl version | awk '{print $$2}'); \
-	fi; \
-	echo "Installed OpenSSL version: $$current_version"; \
-	compare_result=`printf "%s\n%s" "$(OPENSSL_VERSION_3)" "$$current_version" | sort -V | head -n 1`; \
-	if [ "$$compare_result" != "$(OPENSSL_VERSION_3)" ]; then \
-		echo "Error: Installed OpenSSL version must be $(OPENSSL_VERSION_3) or higher, Please upgrade OpenSSL."; \
-		exit 1; \
-	fi
+include ../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
+include ../common_mk/openssl_version_check.mk
 
 libhttpserver/libhttpserver/build/src/.libs/libhttpserver.a: libmicrohttpd/libmicrohttpd/src/microhttpd/.libs/libmicrohttpd.a re2/re2/obj/libre2.a
 	cd libhttpserver && rm -rf libhttpserver-*/ || true
diff --git a/lib/Makefile b/lib/Makefile
index 5328a23eb..82f385e0c 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile
+++ b/lib/Makefile
@@ -62,26 +62,7 @@ COREDUMPER_IDIR := $(COREDUMPER_DIR)/include
 CURL_DIR := $(DEPS_PATH)/curl/curl
 CURL_IDIR := $(CURL_DIR)/include
 
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-ifeq ($(DISTRO),almalinux)
-ifeq ($(CENTOSVER),8)
-	ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl3/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libcrypto.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)endif
-endif
-endif
-SSL_LDIR := $(dir $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-	SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path)))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-    $(info OpenSSL lib full path is $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
-    $(info OpenSSL libs directory is $(SSL_LDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl version 3.)
-endif
+include ../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
 
 EV_DIR := $(DEPS_PATH)/libev/libev/
 EV_IDIR := $(EV_DIR)
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index dd3e0a3a3..53d0d9b00 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -89,26 +89,7 @@ CURL_PATH := $(DEPS_PATH)/curl/curl
 CURL_IDIR := $(CURL_PATH)/include
 CURL_LDIR := $(CURL_PATH)/lib/.libs
 
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-ifeq ($(DISTRO),almalinux)
-ifeq ($(CENTOSVER),8)
-	ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl3/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	LIB_SSL_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	LIB_CRYPTO_PATH := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libcrypto.so.3" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-endif
-endif
-SSL_LDIR := $(dir $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-	SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path)))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-    $(info OpenSSL lib full path is $(LIB_SSL_PATH))
-    $(info OpenSSL libs directory is $(SSL_LDIR))
-else
-	$(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl version 3.)
-endif
+include ../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
 
 EV_PATH := $(DEPS_PATH)/libev/libev/
 EV_IDIR := $(EV_PATH)
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 7b1ece3d9..7239c1761 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -43,14 +43,7 @@ MICROHTTPD_IDIR := $(MICROHTTPD_PATH)/src/include
 CURL_PATH := $(DEPS_PATH)/curl/curl
 CURL_IDIR := -I$(CURL_PATH)/include
 
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
+include ../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
 
 EV_PATH := $(DEPS_PATH)/libev/libev/
 EV_IDIR := $(EV_PATH)
diff --git a/test/tap/tests/Makefile b/test/tap/tests/Makefile
index 0fe51d09e..b351d229b 100644
--- a/test/tap/tests/Makefile
+++ b/test/tap/tests/Makefile
@@ -62,23 +62,7 @@ LIBINJECTION_DIR := $(DEPS_PATH)/libinjection/libinjection
 LIBINJECTION_IDIR := $(LIBINJECTION_DIR)/src
 LIBINJECTION_LDIR := $(LIBINJECTION_DIR)/src
 
-libssl_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(libssl_path),)
-    SSL_LDIR := $(dir $(libssl_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL libs at $(SSL_LDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL library not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
-
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
+include ../../../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
 
 EV_DIR := $(DEPS_PATH)/libev/libev/
 EV_IDIR := $(EV_DIR)
diff --git a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile
index 0ad21d3d7..937bebd19 100644
--- a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile
+++ b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile
@@ -44,23 +44,7 @@ LIBINJECTION_DIR=$(DEPS_PATH)/libinjection/libinjection
 LIBINJECTION_IDIR=$(LIBINJECTION_DIR)/src
 LIBINJECTION_LDIR=$(LIBINJECTION_DIR)/src
 
-libssl_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(libssl_path),)
-    SSL_LDIR := $(dir $(libssl_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL libs at $(SSL_LDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL library not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
-
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
+include ../../../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
 
 EV_DIR=$(DEPS_PATH)/libev/libev/
 EV_IDIR=$(EV_DIR)
diff --git a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile
index aefbeeb8b..672bcef56 100644
--- a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile
+++ b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile
@@ -50,23 +50,7 @@ MICROHTTPD_DIR := $(DEPS_PATH)/libmicrohttpd/libmicrohttpd/src
 MICROHTTPD_IDIR := $(MICROHTTPD_DIR)/include
 MICROHTTPD_LDIR := $(MICROHTTPD_DIR)/microhttpd/.libs
 
-libssl_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "libssl.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(libssl_path),)
-    SSL_LDIR := $(dir $(libssl_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL libs at $(SSL_LDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL library not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
-
-ssl_header_path := $(shell find /usr /usr/local /opt -name "ssl.h" -path "*/openssl/*" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-
-ifneq ($(ssl_header_path),)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell dirname $(ssl_header_path))
-    $(info Found OpenSSL headers at $(SSL_IDIR))
-else
-    $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. exiting, please install openssl.)
-endif
+include ../../../../common_mk/openssl_flags.mk
 
 EV_DIR := $(DEPS_PATH)/libev/libev/
 EV_IDIR := $(EV_DIR)