diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1f83dc58c2..83ed55c75c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1352,7 +1352,11 @@ if https_backend == 'auto' and security_framework.found()
 endif
 
 openssl_required = 'openssl' in [csprng_backend, https_backend, sha1_backend, sha1_unsafe_backend, sha256_backend]
-openssl = dependency('openssl', required: openssl_required, default_options: ['default_library=static'])
+openssl = dependency('openssl',
+  required: openssl_required,
+  allow_fallback: openssl_required or https_backend == 'auto',
+  default_options: ['default_library=static'],
+)
 if https_backend == 'auto' and openssl.found()
   https_backend = 'openssl'
 endif
@@ -1366,6 +1370,7 @@ elif https_backend == 'openssl'
 else
   # We either couldn't find any dependencies with 'auto' or the user requested
   # 'none'. Both cases are benign.
+  https_backend = 'none'
 endif
 
 if https_backend != 'openssl'