diff --git a/package/openssl/Makefile b/package/openssl/Makefile
index 123f393d5a47e754055808770ca2ab78745b1c9f..d95783aac95d88927e97ac2fae7a331d857c9750 100644
--- a/package/openssl/Makefile
+++ b/package/openssl/Makefile
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ define Package/openssl-util
   $(call Package/openssl/Default)
   SECTION:=utils
   CATEGORY:=Utilities
-  DEPENDS:=+libopenssl +libpthread
+  DEPENDS:=+libopenssl
   TITLE+= (utility)
 endef
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ define Build/Configure
 	)
 endef
 
-TARGET_CFLAGS += $(FPIC) -DOPENSSL_THREADS -pthread -D_REENTRANT -D_THREAD_SAFE -D_THREADSAFE
+TARGET_CFLAGS += $(FPIC)
 
 define Build/Compile
 	# XXX: OpenSSL "make depend" will look for installed headers before its own,