diff --git a/package/perl-net-ssh2/Config.in b/package/perl-net-ssh2/Config.in
index 8f359b7015..4dfd6e1dd3 100644
--- a/package/perl-net-ssh2/Config.in
+++ b/package/perl-net-ssh2/Config.in
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 config BR2_PACKAGE_PERL_NET_SSH2
 	bool "perl-net-ssh2"
 	depends on !BR2_STATIC_LIBS
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH2
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH2_OPENSSL || BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH2_LIBGCRYPT
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB
 	help
 	  Support for the SSH 2 protocol via libssh2.
 
+	  Note: only the OpenSSL and Libgcrypt backends of libssh2 are
+	  supported.
+
 	  https://metacpan.org/release/Net-SSH2
 
 comment "perl-net-ssh2 needs a toolchain w/ dynamic library"
 	depends on BR2_STATIC_LIBS
+
+comment "perl-net-ssh2 needs libssh2 with OpenSSL or Libgcrypt backend"
+	depends on !(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH2_OPENSSL || BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH2_LIBGCRYPT)
diff --git a/package/perl-net-ssh2/perl-net-ssh2.mk b/package/perl-net-ssh2/perl-net-ssh2.mk
index 77d39edef5..ebd5803826 100644
--- a/package/perl-net-ssh2/perl-net-ssh2.mk
+++ b/package/perl-net-ssh2/perl-net-ssh2.mk
@@ -15,4 +15,8 @@ PERL_NET_SSH2_CONF_OPTS += \
 	lib="$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/lib" \
 	inc="$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/include"
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBSSH2_LIBGCRYPT),y)
+PERL_NET_SSH2_CONF_OPTS += gcrypt
+endif
+
 $(eval $(perl-package))