diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/apr-util/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/apr-util/package.py
index 5ac152ba47..df1379a0fa 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/apr-util/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/apr-util/package.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class AprUtil(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on("postgresql", when="+pgsql")
     depends_on("sqlite", when="+sqlite")
     depends_on("unixodbc", when="+odbc")
+    depends_on("pkg-config", type="build", when="+crypto ^openssl~shared")
 
     @property
     def libs(self):
@@ -85,6 +86,13 @@ def configure_args(self):
         else:
             args.append("--without-odbc")
 
+        if spec.satisfies("+crypto ^openssl~shared"):
+            # Need pkg-config to get zlib and -ldl flags
+            # (see https://dev.apr.apache.narkive.com/pNnO9F1S/configure-bug-openssl)
+            pkgconf = which("pkg-config")
+            ssl_libs = pkgconf("--libs", "--static", "openssl", output=str)
+            args.append(f"LIBS={ssl_libs}")
+
         return args
 
     def check(self):