diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f55d4e6..9c7ff5c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ set(TARGET_NAME sqlsmith)
 # DuckDB's extension distribution supports vcpkg. As such, dependencies can be added in ./vcpkg.json and then
 # used in cmake with find_package. Feel free to remove or replace with other dependencies.
 # Note that it should also be removed from vcpkg.json to prevent needlessly installing it..
-find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
 
 set(EXTENSION_NAME ${TARGET_NAME}_extension)
 set(LOADABLE_EXTENSION_NAME ${TARGET_NAME}_loadable_extension)
@@ -26,10 +25,6 @@ set(EXTENSION_SOURCES src/sqlsmith_extension.cpp
 build_static_extension(${TARGET_NAME} ${EXTENSION_SOURCES})
 build_loadable_extension(${TARGET_NAME} " " ${EXTENSION_SOURCES})
 
-# Link OpenSSL in both the static library as the loadable extension
-target_link_libraries(${EXTENSION_NAME} OpenSSL::SSL OpenSSL::Crypto)
-target_link_libraries(${LOADABLE_EXTENSION_NAME} OpenSSL::SSL OpenSSL::Crypto)
-
 install(
   TARGETS ${EXTENSION_NAME}
   EXPORT "${DUCKDB_EXPORT_SET}"
diff --git a/vcpkg.json b/vcpkg.json
index 85936bf..cb71275 100644
--- a/vcpkg.json
+++ b/vcpkg.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
   "dependencies": [
-    "openssl"
   ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file