diff --git a/configure b/configure
index eb499b0a..da453670 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4132,7 +4132,7 @@ else
 fi;
 
 if test "x$openssl_prefix" = "x"; then
-  openssl_prefix=$prefix
+  openssl_prefix="/usr/local"
 fi
 
 openssl_prefix_lib=$openssl_prefix/lib
diff --git a/m4/openssl.m4 b/m4/openssl.m4
index 3e8ef443..e9d16069 100644
--- a/m4/openssl.m4
+++ b/m4/openssl.m4
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([openssl-prefix],
             [openssl_prefix=""])
 
 if test "x$openssl_prefix" = "x"; then
-  openssl_prefix=$prefix
+  openssl_prefix="/usr/local"
 fi
 
 openssl_prefix_lib=$openssl_prefix/lib