diff --git a/PC/VC6/readme.txt b/PC/VC6/readme.txt
index 98d1e495e5b..b6fa5d2fdac 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 7c53bba2b13..c31182029f4 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/PC/VS9.0/pyproject.vsprops b/PC/VS9.0/pyproject.vsprops
index b3c1b4be82e..fa3dad74685 100644
--- a/PC/VS9.0/pyproject.vsprops
+++ b/PC/VS9.0/pyproject.vsprops
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 	/>
 	<UserMacro
 		Name="opensslDir"
-		Value="$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0a"
+		Value="$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0j"
 	/>
 	<UserMacro
 		Name="tcltkDir"
diff --git a/PCbuild/build_ssl.py b/PCbuild/build_ssl.py
index 6a270f1ad99..a0ef06d8361 100644
--- a/PCbuild/build_ssl.py
+++ b/PCbuild/build_ssl.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def find_all_on_path(filename, extras = None):
 # is available.
 def find_working_perl(perls):
     for perl in perls:
-        fh = os.popen('""%s" -e "use Win32;""' % perl)
+        fh = os.popen('"%s" -e "use Win32;"' % perl)
         fh.read()
         rc = fh.close()
         if rc:
diff --git a/PCbuild/pyproject.props b/PCbuild/pyproject.props
index fbeb5ae8124..522ac88fa74 100644
--- a/PCbuild/pyproject.props
+++ b/PCbuild/pyproject.props
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <sqlite3Dir>$(externalsDir)\sqlite-3.7.12</sqlite3Dir>
     <bz2Dir>$(externalsDir)\bzip2-1.0.6</bz2Dir>
     <lzmaDir>$(externalsDir)\xz-5.0.3</lzmaDir>
-    <opensslDir>$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0a</opensslDir>
+    <opensslDir>$(externalsDir)\openssl-1.0.0j</opensslDir>
     <tcltkDir>$(externalsDir)\tcltk</tcltkDir>
     <tcltk64Dir>$(externalsDir)\tcltk64</tcltk64Dir>
     <tcltkLib>$(tcltkDir)\lib\tcl85.lib;$(tcltkDir)\lib\tk85.lib</tcltkLib>
diff --git a/PCbuild/readme.txt b/PCbuild/readme.txt
index 9a33d947194..a45ed1706e3 100644
--- a/PCbuild/readme.txt
+++ b/PCbuild/readme.txt
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ _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 59b96961133..39c316ad82f 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-3.7.12 rd /s/q sqlite-3.7.12    
 
 @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-8.5.11.0 (