diff --git a/deps/Makefile b/deps/Makefile
index b99f8b44c..c1e417280 100644
--- a/deps/Makefile
+++ b/deps/Makefile
@@ -90,13 +90,15 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    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 $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
 else
-    SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
-    SSL_LDIR := -L$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib -lssl -lcrypto
+    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
 
@@ -110,18 +112,48 @@ else
     $(error Warning: OpenSSL headers not found. Exiting. Please install OpenSSL version 3.)
 endif
 
-OPENSSL_VERSION_3 := 3.0.0
+REQUIRED_OPENSSL_VERSION := 3.0.0
+PKG_CONFIG := pkg-config
+
 check_openssl_version:
-	@if [[ "$(DISTRO)" = "almalinux" && "$(CENTOSVER)" = "8" ]]; then \
-		@current_version=$$(openssl3 version | awk '{print $$2}'); \
+	@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 \
-		@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 [ "$$compare_result" != "$(OPENSSL_VERSION_3)" ]; then \
-		echo "Error: Installed OpenSSL version must be $(OPENSSL_VERSION_3) or higher, Please upgrade OpenSSL."; \
-		exit 1; \
+		echo "Using pkg-config to detect OpenSSL"; \
+		openssl_version=$$(pkg-config --modversion openssl 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
 
 libhttpserver/libhttpserver/build/src/.libs/libhttpserver.a: libmicrohttpd/libmicrohttpd/src/microhttpd/.libs/libmicrohttpd.a re2/re2/obj/libre2.a
diff --git a/lib/Makefile b/lib/Makefile
index 580aaa7c8..8fa750413 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile
+++ b/lib/Makefile
@@ -77,13 +77,15 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    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 $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
 else
-    SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
-    SSL_LDIR := -L$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib -lssl -lcrypto
+    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
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 2d2d88042..5b19ad64e 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -104,13 +104,15 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    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 $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
 else
-    SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
-    SSL_LDIR := -L$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib -lssl -lcrypto
+    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
 
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 1ab2a44a8..4b15a5995 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    SSL_IDIR := $(shell export PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_CFLAGS=1; export PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_LIBS=1; pkg-config --cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
 else
     SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
     $(info Using custom OpenSSL path: $(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH))
diff --git a/test/tap/tests/Makefile b/test/tap/tests/Makefile
index 87b4e3d9f..0c377247a 100644
--- a/test/tap/tests/Makefile
+++ b/test/tap/tests/Makefile
@@ -76,11 +76,15 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    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 $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
 else
-    SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
-    SSL_LDIR := -L$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib -lssl -lcrypto
+    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
 
diff --git a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile
index e87cd5214..b2ecd6841 100644
--- a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile
+++ b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/common_defs.Makefile
@@ -58,11 +58,15 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    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 $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
 else
-    SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
-    SSL_LDIR := -L$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib -lssl -lcrypto
+    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
 
diff --git a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile
index b2c0dd280..9670fdf21 100644
--- a/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile
+++ b/test/tap/tests_with_deps/deprecate_eof_support/Makefile
@@ -64,11 +64,15 @@ $(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.)
-    SSL_IDIR := $(shell pkg-config --cflags  --keep-system-cflags $(OPENSSL_PACKAGE) | grep -oP "(?<=-I)[^ ]+")
+    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 $(SSL_LDIR) -name "libcrypto.so" 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
 else
-    SSL_IDIR := -I$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/include
-    SSL_LDIR := -L$(CUSTOM_OPENSSL_PATH)/lib -lssl -lcrypto
+    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