diff --git a/PCbuild/_ssl.mak b/PCbuild/_ssl.mak
index c150d65d87d..b5eba287814 100644
--- a/PCbuild/_ssl.mak
+++ b/PCbuild/_ssl.mak
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ SSL_LIB_DIR=$(SSL_DIR)/out32
 !ENDIF
 
 INCLUDES=-I ../Include -I ../PC -I $(SSL_DIR)/inc32
-LIBS=gdi32.lib wsock32.lib /libpath:$(SSL_LIB_DIR) libeay32.lib ssleay32.lib
+LIBS=gdi32.lib wsock32.lib user32.lib advapi32.lib /libpath:$(SSL_LIB_DIR) libeay32.lib ssleay32.lib
 
 SOURCE=../Modules/_ssl.c $(SSL_LIB_DIR)/libeay32.lib $(SSL_LIB_DIR)/ssleay32.lib
 
diff --git a/PCbuild/readme.txt b/PCbuild/readme.txt
index 94ea70252a5..a27b90fa1a9 100644
--- a/PCbuild/readme.txt
+++ b/PCbuild/readme.txt
@@ -227,19 +227,11 @@ _bsddb
 _ssl
     Python wrapper for the secure sockets library.
 
-    Get the latest source code for OpenSSL from
-        http://www.openssl.org
+    Get the source code through
 
-    You (probably) don't want the "engine" code.  For example, get
-        openssl-0.9.7d.tar.gz
-    not
-        openssl-engine-0.9.7d.tar.gz
-
-    (see #1233049 for using 0.9.8).
-    Unpack into the "dist" directory, retaining the folder name from
-    the archive - for example, the latest stable OpenSSL will install as
-        dist/openssl-0.9.7d
+    svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-0.9.8a
 
+    Alternatively, get the latest version from http://www.openssl.org.
     You can (theoretically) use any version of OpenSSL you like - the
     build process will automatically select the latest version.
 
diff --git a/Tools/buildbot/external.bat b/Tools/buildbot/external.bat
index 1b032aecffc..9ce42b59170 100644
--- a/Tools/buildbot/external.bat
+++ b/Tools/buildbot/external.bat
@@ -12,3 +12,6 @@ if not exist db-4.4.20 svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/db-4.4
 if not exist db-4.4.20\build_win32\debug\libdb44sd.lib (
    devenv db-4.4.20\build_win32\Berkeley_DB.sln /build Debug /project db_static
 )
+
+@rem OpenSSL
+if not exist openssl-0.9.8a svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-0.9.8a