diff --git a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslContext.java b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslContext.java
index 2ff8c4f1b5..ff93d4011c 100644
--- a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslContext.java
+++ b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslContext.java
@@ -827,12 +827,14 @@ public abstract class SslContext {
                         sessionTimeout, keyStoreType);
             case OPENSSL:
                 verifyNullSslContextProvider(provider, sslContextProvider);
+                OpenSsl.ensureAvailability();
                 return new OpenSslClientContext(
                         trustCert, trustManagerFactory, keyCertChain, key, keyPassword,
                         keyManagerFactory, ciphers, cipherFilter, apn, protocols, sessionCacheSize, sessionTimeout,
                         enableOcsp, keyStoreType, options);
             case OPENSSL_REFCNT:
                 verifyNullSslContextProvider(provider, sslContextProvider);
+                OpenSsl.ensureAvailability();
                 return new ReferenceCountedOpenSslClientContext(
                         trustCert, trustManagerFactory, keyCertChain, key, keyPassword,
                         keyManagerFactory, ciphers, cipherFilter, apn, protocols, sessionCacheSize, sessionTimeout,