diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 706ed98..055c676 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ const libssh2_dependency = b.dependency("libssh2", .{
     .strip = true, // Strip debug information (default=false)
     .linkage = .static, // Whether to link statically or dynamically (default=static)
     .@"crypto-backend" = .auto, // auto will to default to wincng on windows, openssl everywhere else. (default=auto)
-    .@"openssl-linkage" = .static, // each dependency's linkage can be configured to static/dynamic linking
+    .@"link-system-crypto-backend" = true, // If enabled will link against system libraries (default=true)
 });
 ```
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 61096bf..aeada92 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -20,11 +20,8 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const pic = b.option(bool, "pie", "Produce Position Independent Code");
 
     const crypto_choice = b.option(CryptoBackend, "crypto-backend", "Crypto backend: auto|openssl|mbedtls|libgcrypt|wincng") orelse .auto;
+    const link_system_crypto = b.option(bool, "link-system-crypto-backend", "If true, library will link against system libraries") orelse true;
     const zlib = b.option(bool, "zlib", "Enable SSH payload compression (links zlib)") orelse false;
-    const mbedtls_linkage = b.option(std.builtin.LinkMode, "mbedtls-linkage", "static|dynamic") orelse .static;
-    const openssl_linkage = b.option(std.builtin.LinkMode, "openssl-linkage", "static|dynamic") orelse .static;
-    const wincng_linkage = b.option(std.builtin.LinkMode, "wincng-linkage", "static|dynamic") orelse .static;
-    const gcrypt_linkage = b.option(std.builtin.LinkMode, "gcrypt-linkage", "static|dynamic") orelse .static;
 
     const is_windows = target.result.os.tag == .windows;
     const mbedtls = crypto_choice == .mbedtls;
@@ -74,26 +71,34 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
 
     if (mbedtls) {
         ssh2_lib.root_module.addCMacro("LIBSSH2_MBEDTLS", "1");
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("mbedtls", .{ .preferred_link_mode = mbedtls_linkage });
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("mbedcrypto", .{ .preferred_link_mode = mbedtls_linkage });
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("mbedx509", .{ .preferred_link_mode = mbedtls_linkage });
+        if (link_system_crypto) {
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("mbedtls", .{});
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("mbedcrypto", .{});
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("mbedx509", .{});
+        }
     }
 
     if (openssl) {
         ssh2_lib.root_module.addCMacro("LIBSSH2_OPENSSL", "1");
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("ssl", .{ .preferred_link_mode = openssl_linkage });
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("crypto", .{ .preferred_link_mode = openssl_linkage });
+        if (link_system_crypto) {
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("ssl", .{});
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("crypto", .{});
+        }
     }
 
     if (wincng) {
         ssh2_lib.root_module.addCMacro("LIBSSH2_WINCNG", "1");
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("bcrypt", .{ .preferred_link_mode = wincng_linkage });
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("ncrypt", .{ .preferred_link_mode = wincng_linkage });
+        if (link_system_crypto) {
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("bcrypt", .{});
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("ncrypt", .{});
+        }
     }
 
     if (libgcrypt) {
         ssh2_lib.root_module.addCMacro("LIBSSH2_LIBGCRYPT", "1");
-        ssh2_lib.linkSystemLibrary2("gcrypt", .{ .preferred_link_mode = gcrypt_linkage });
+        if (link_system_crypto) {
+            ssh2_lib.root_module.linkSystemLibrary("gcrypt", .{});
+        }
     }
 
     if (zlib) {
diff --git a/build.zig.zon b/build.zig.zon
index a180f8c..11a337b 100644
--- a/build.zig.zon
+++ b/build.zig.zon
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
             .hash = "N-V-__8AAATRLQBu_rNy4X2UK6RtcdYK_yAzkV6OcCqgo5aK",
         },
         .zlib = .{
-            .url = "git+https://github.com/allyourcodebase/zlib.git#61e7df7e996ec5a5f13a653db3c419adb340d6ef",
-            .hash = "zlib-1.3.1-ZZQ7lbYMAAB1hTSOKSXAKAgHsfDcyWNH_37ojw5WSpgR",
+            .url = "git+https://github.com/allyourcodebase/zlib.git#3599c16d41dbe749ae51b0ff7ab864c61adc779a",
+            .hash = "zlib-1.3.1-ZZQ7lc8NAABUbHzDe_cSWboCqMbrLkVwvFkKnojgeiT2",
             .lazy = true,
         },
     },