diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TSSLSocket.cpp b/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TSSLSocket.cpp
index 0af20cb..4c7be6d 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TSSLSocket.cpp
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/thrift/transport/TSSLSocket.cpp
@@ -484,8 +484,11 @@
       }
     } while (rc == 2);
   } else {
-    // set the SNI hostname
-    SSL_set_tlsext_host_name(ssl_, getHost().c_str());
+    // OpenSSL < 0.9.8f does not have SSL_set_tlsext_host_name()
+    #if defined(SSL_set_tlsext_host_name)
+      // set the SNI hostname
+      SSL_set_tlsext_host_name(ssl_, getHost().c_str());
+    #endif
     do {
       rc = SSL_connect(ssl_);
       if (rc <= 0) {