diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index dc666f2bb1fa..90646da22061 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(sigv1,
 	AM_CONDITIONAL([CONFIG_SIGV1], [test "x$enable_sigv1" = "xyes"])
 	AS_IF([test "$enable_sigv1"  != "yes"], [enable_sigv1="no"])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(engine,
+	      [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-engine], [build ima-evm-utils without OpenSSL engine support])],,[enable_engine=yes])
+	AC_CHECK_LIB([crypto], [ENGINE_init],, [enable_engine=no])
+	AM_CONDITIONAL([CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE], [test "x$enable_engine" = "xyes"])
+
 #debug support - yes for a while
 PKG_ARG_ENABLE(debug, "yes", DEBUG, [Enable Debug support])
 if test $pkg_cv_enable_debug = yes; then
@@ -89,5 +94,6 @@ echo	"      tss2-esys: $ac_cv_lib_tss2_esys_Esys_Free"
 echo	" tss2-rc-decode: $ac_cv_lib_tss2_rc_Tss2_RC_Decode"
 echo    "         ibmtss: $ac_cv_header_ibmtss_tss_h"
 echo    "         sigv1:  $enable_sigv1"
+echo    "         engine: $enable_engine"
 echo	"            doc: $have_doc"
 echo
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 90c7249020cf..0527a7b9df5c 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ if CONFIG_SIGV1
 libimaevm_la_CFLAGS = -DCONFIG_SIGV1
 endif
 
+if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
+libimaevm_la_CFLAGS = -DCONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
+endif
+
 include_HEADERS = imaevm.h
 
 nodist_libimaevm_la_SOURCES = hash_info.h
@@ -31,6 +35,10 @@ if CONFIG_SIGV1
 evmctl_CFLAGS = -DCONFIG_SIGV1
 endif
 
+# Enable "--engine" support
+if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
+evmctl_CFLAGS = -DCONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
+endif
 
 # USE_PCRTSS uses the Intel TSS
 if USE_PCRTSS
diff --git a/src/evmctl.c b/src/evmctl.c
index 039571577448..4817eeba01c0 100644
--- a/src/evmctl.c
+++ b/src/evmctl.c
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@
 #include <openssl/hmac.h>
 #include <openssl/err.h>
 #include <openssl/rsa.h>
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 #include <openssl/engine.h>
+#endif
 #include <openssl/x509v3.h>
 #include "hash_info.h"
 #include "pcr.h"
@@ -2704,7 +2706,9 @@ static void usage(void)
 		"      --selinux      use custom Selinux label for EVM\n"
 		"      --caps         use custom Capabilities for EVM(unspecified: from FS, empty: do not use)\n"
 		"      --verify-sig   verify measurement list signatures\n"
-		"      --engine e     preload OpenSSL engine e (such as: gost)\n"
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
+		"      --engine e     preload OpenSSL engine e (such as: gost) is deprecated\n"
+#endif
 		"      --ignore-violations ignore ToMToU measurement violations\n"
 		"  -v                 increase verbosity level\n"
 		"  -h, --help         display this help and exit\n"
@@ -2766,7 +2770,9 @@ static struct option opts[] = {
 	{"selinux", 1, 0, 136},
 	{"caps", 2, 0, 137},
 	{"verify-sig", 0, 0, 138},
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 	{"engine", 1, 0, 139},
+#endif
 	{"xattr-user", 0, 0, 140},
 	{"ignore-violations", 0, 0, 141},
 	{"pcrs", 1, 0, 142},
@@ -2819,9 +2825,11 @@ static char *get_password(void)
 	return password;
 }
 
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 static ENGINE *setup_engine(const char *engine_id)
 {
 	ENGINE *eng = ENGINE_by_id(engine_id);
+
 	if (!eng) {
 		log_err("engine %s isn't available\n", optarg);
 		ERR_print_errors_fp(stderr);
@@ -2835,6 +2843,7 @@ static ENGINE *setup_engine(const char *engine_id)
 		ENGINE_set_default(eng, ENGINE_METHOD_ALL);
 	return eng;
 }
+#endif
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -2960,11 +2969,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 138:
 			verify_list_sig = 1;
 			break;
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 		case 139: /* --engine e */
 			imaevm_params.eng = setup_engine(optarg);
 			if (!imaevm_params.eng)
 				goto error;
 			break;
+#endif
 		case 140: /* --xattr-user */
 			xattr_ima = "user.ima";
 			xattr_evm = "user.evm";
@@ -3023,7 +3034,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (imaevm_params.keyfile != NULL &&
 	    imaevm_params.eng == NULL &&
 	    !strncmp(imaevm_params.keyfile, "pkcs11:", 7)) {
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 		imaevm_params.eng = setup_engine("pkcs11");
+#endif
 		if (!imaevm_params.eng)
 			goto error;
 	}
@@ -3049,6 +3062,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 error:
+#if CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 	if (imaevm_params.eng) {
 		ENGINE_finish(imaevm_params.eng);
 		ENGINE_free(imaevm_params.eng);
@@ -3056,6 +3070,7 @@ error:
 		ENGINE_cleanup();
 #endif
 	}
+#endif
 	ERR_free_strings();
 	EVP_cleanup();
 	BIO_free(NULL);
diff --git a/src/imaevm.h b/src/imaevm.h
index afcf1e042014..884321670fa7 100644
--- a/src/imaevm.h
+++ b/src/imaevm.h
@@ -48,7 +48,13 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <openssl/rsa.h>
+#ifdef CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 #include <openssl/engine.h>
+#endif
+
+#if defined(OPENSSL_NO_ENGINE) || defined(OPENSSL_NO_DYNAMIC_ENGINE)
+#undef CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
+#endif
 
 #ifdef USE_FPRINTF
 #define do_log(level, fmt, args...)	\
diff --git a/src/libimaevm.c b/src/libimaevm.c
index b12b7ff14d95..8070ffd61a2c 100644
--- a/src/libimaevm.c
+++ b/src/libimaevm.c
@@ -953,9 +953,10 @@ uint32_t imaevm_read_keyid(const char *certfile)
 static EVP_PKEY *read_priv_pkey(const char *keyfile, const char *keypass)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
-	EVP_PKEY *pkey;
+	EVP_PKEY *pkey = NULL;
 
 	if (!strncmp(keyfile, "pkcs11:", 7)) {
+#ifdef CONFIG_IMA_EVM_ENGINE
 		if (!imaevm_params.keyid) {
 			log_err("When using a pkcs11 URI you must provide the keyid with an option\n");
 			return NULL;
@@ -972,6 +973,10 @@ static EVP_PKEY *read_priv_pkey(const char *keyfile, const char *keypass)
 			log_err("Failed to load private key %s\n", keyfile);
 			goto err_engine;
 		}
+#else
+		log_err("OpenSSL \"engine\" support is disabled\n");
+		goto err_engine;
+#endif
 	} else {
 		fp = fopen(keyfile, "r");
 		if (!fp) {
