diff --git a/ros2_batch_job/osx_batch/__init__.py b/ros2_batch_job/osx_batch/__init__.py
index 479516d5b..b492723a7 100644
--- a/ros2_batch_job/osx_batch/__init__.py
+++ b/ros2_batch_job/osx_batch/__init__.py
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ def pre(self):
             warn('OSPL_HOME not set; using default value')
             os.environ['OSPL_HOME'] = os.path.join(
                 os.environ['HOME'], 'opensplice', 'HDE', 'x86_64.darwin10_clang')
+        # TODO(nuclearsandwich) Connext 5.3.1 supports only OpenSSL 1.0.2
+        # remove this when upgrading to Connext 6 that supports OpenSSL 1.1.1
+        if 'RTI_OPENSSL_BIN' not in os.environ:
+            warn('RTI_OPENSSL_BIN unset; using default value')
+            os.environ['RTI_OPENSSL_BIN'] = '/Users/osrf/openssl-1.0.2n/x64Darwin17clang9.0/release/bin'
+        if 'RTI_OPENSSL_LIBS' not in os.environ:
+            warn('RTI_OPENSSL_LIBS unset; using default value')
+            os.environ['RTI_OPENSSL_LIBS'] = '/Users/osrf/openssl-1.0.2n/x64Darwin17clang9.0/release/lib'
         # TODO(wjwwood): remove this when qt5 is linked on macOS by default
         # See: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/8392#issuecomment-334328367
         os.environ['CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH'] = os.environ.get('CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH', '') + os.pathsep + \