diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 08d21f78b69..565db1bd24b 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@ Tests
 Build
 -----
 
+- The Windows build now uses OpenSSL 1.0.0j and bzip2 1.0.6.
+
 - Issue #14557: Fix extensions build on HP-UX. Patch by Adi Roiban.
 
 - Issue #14437: Fix building the _io module under Cygwin.
diff --git a/PC/VC6/readme.txt b/PC/VC6/readme.txt
index 7e85c96fe51..fa1ae7db180 100644
--- a/PC/VC6/readme.txt
+++ b/PC/VC6/readme.txt
@@ -153,10 +153,9 @@ _ssl
 
     Unpack into the "dist" directory, retaining the folder name from
     the archive - for example, the latest stable OpenSSL will install as
-        dist/openssl-1.0.0a
+        dist/openssl-1.0.0j
 
-    You can (theoretically) use any version of OpenSSL you like - the
-    build process will automatically select the latest version.
+    You need to use version 1.0.0j of OpenSSL.
 
     You can install the NASM assembler from
         http://www.nasm.us/
diff --git a/PC/VS8.0/pyproject.vsprops b/PC/VS8.0/pyproject.vsprops
index 763f6878d87..2a82e4962cb 100644
--- a/PC/VS8.0/pyproject.vsprops
+++ b/PC/VS8.0/pyproject.vsprops
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 	/>
 	<UserMacro
 		Name="opensslDir"
-		Value="$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0a"
+		Value="$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0j"
 	/>
 	<UserMacro
 		Name="tcltkDir"
diff --git a/PCbuild/pyproject.vsprops b/PCbuild/pyproject.vsprops
index 881befda5de..6a94a6835b3 100644
--- a/PCbuild/pyproject.vsprops
+++ b/PCbuild/pyproject.vsprops
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 	/>
 	<UserMacro
 		Name="opensslDir"
-		Value="$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0a"
+		Value="$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0j"
 	/>
 	<UserMacro
 		Name="tcltkDir"
diff --git a/PCbuild/readme.txt b/PCbuild/readme.txt
index 3bb64929727..c7e3c725ba6 100644
--- a/PCbuild/readme.txt
+++ b/PCbuild/readme.txt
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ _ssl
 
     Get the source code through
 
-    svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-1.0.0a
+    svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-1.0.0j
 
     ** NOTE: if you use the Tools\buildbot\external(-amd64).bat approach for
     obtaining external sources then you don't need to manually get the source
diff --git a/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat b/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat
index 5c250f02529..2165b8a1f05 100644
--- a/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat
+++ b/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ cd ..
 @rem if exist tk8.4.16 rd /s/q tk8.4.16
 @rem if exist tk-8.4.18.1 rd /s/q tk-8.4.18.1
 @rem if exist db-4.4.20 rd /s/q db-4.4.20
-@rem if exist openssl-1.0.0a rd /s/q openssl-1.0.0a
+@rem if exist openssl-1.0.0j rd /s/q openssl-1.0.0j
 @rem if exist sqlite-3.7.4 rd /s/q sqlite-3.7.4    
 
 @rem bzip
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ if not exist bzip2-1.0.6 (
 )
 
 @rem OpenSSL
-if not exist openssl-1.0.0a svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-1.0.0a
+if not exist openssl-1.0.0j svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-1.0.0j
 
 @rem tcl/tk
 if not exist tcl-8.5.9.0 (