diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 41023d037..e3cf76682 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
 name: CI
 
 env:
-  VCPKGRS_DYNAMIC: 1
+  CARGO_ARGS: --all --features ssl
 
 jobs:
   rust_tests:
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
         with:
           command: test
-          args: --verbose --all
+          args: --verbose ${{ env.CARGO_ARGS }}
 
   snippets_cpython:
     name: Run snippets and cpython tests
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
         with:
           command: build
-          args: --release --verbose --all
+          args: --release --verbose ${{ env.CARGO_ARGS }}
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v1
         with:
           python-version: 3.8
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ jobs:
         run: pipenv run pytest -v
         working-directory: ./tests
       - name: run cpython tests
-        run: cargo run --release -- -m test -v
+        run: target/release/rustpython -m test -v
         env:
           RUSTPYTHONPATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/Lib
         if: runner.os != 'Windows'
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
         with:
           command: clippy
-          args: --all -- -Dwarnings
+          args: ${{ env.CARGO_ARGS }} -- -Dwarnings
 
   lint:
     name: Lint Python code with flake8
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3114c63c7..894f2b7c1 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ path = "./benchmarks/bench.rs"
 flame-it = ["rustpython-vm/flame-it", "flame", "flamescope"]
 freeze-stdlib = ["rustpython-vm/freeze-stdlib"]
 
+ssl = ["rustpython-vm/ssl"]
+
 [dependencies]
 log = "0.4"
 env_logger = "0.7"
diff --git a/vm/Cargo.toml b/vm/Cargo.toml
index 2f24f0c46..71c179e3e 100644
--- a/vm/Cargo.toml
+++ b/vm/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ vm-tracing-logging = []
 flame-it = ["flame", "flamer"]
 freeze-stdlib = []
 
+ssl = ["openssl", "openssl-sys", "openssl-probe"]
+
 [dependencies]
 # Crypto:
 digest = "0.8.1"
@@ -99,9 +101,9 @@ gethostname = "0.2.0"
 subprocess = "0.2.2"
 socket2 = { version = "0.3", features = ["unix"] }
 rustyline = "6.0"
-openssl = { version = "0.10", features = ["vendored"] }
-openssl-sys = "0.9"
-openssl-probe = "0.1"
+openssl = { version = "0.10", features = ["vendored"], optional = true }
+openssl-sys = { version = "0.9", optional = true }
+openssl-probe = { version = "0.1", optional = true }
 
 [target.'cfg(any(not(target_arch = "wasm32"), target_os = "wasi"))'.dependencies]
 num_cpus = "1"
diff --git a/vm/src/stdlib/mod.rs b/vm/src/stdlib/mod.rs
index 0758d6447..fda25cc7e 100644
--- a/vm/src/stdlib/mod.rs
+++ b/vm/src/stdlib/mod.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ mod pwd;
 mod select;
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 pub mod signal;
-#[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+#[cfg(all(not(target_arch = "wasm32"), feature = "ssl"))]
 mod ssl;
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 mod subprocess;
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ pub fn get_module_inits() -> HashMap<String, StdlibInitFunc> {
         );
         modules.insert("signal".to_owned(), Box::new(signal::make_module));
         modules.insert("select".to_owned(), Box::new(select::make_module));
+        #[cfg(feature = "ssl")]
         modules.insert("_ssl".to_owned(), Box::new(ssl::make_module));
         modules.insert("_subprocess".to_owned(), Box::new(subprocess::make_module));
         #[cfg(not(target_os = "redox"))]