diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1d796b41982..7760ebea734 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -331,6 +331,8 @@ HOST_LDLIBS = $(LDLIBS)
 # These are automatically computed variables.
 # There shouldn't be any need to change anything from now on.
 
+HAS_PKG_CONFIG = $(shell command -v pkg-config >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo true || echo false)
+
 ifeq ($(SYSTEM),MINGW32)
 SHARED_EXT = dll
 endif
@@ -355,6 +357,13 @@ ifeq ($(SYSTEM),Darwin)
 OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL = true
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+OPENSSL_ALPN_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --atleast-version=1.0.2 openssl
+ZLIB_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --exists zlib
+PERFTOOLS_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --exists profiler
+PROTOBUF_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --atleast-version=3.0.0-alpha-3 protobuf
+else # HAS_PKG_CONFIG
+
 ifeq ($(SYSTEM),MINGW32)
 OPENSSL_LIBS = ssl32 eay32
 else
@@ -365,15 +374,18 @@ OPENSSL_ALPN_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/ope
 ZLIB_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/zlib.c -lz $(LDFLAGS)
 PERFTOOLS_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/perftools.c -lprofiler $(LDFLAGS)
 PROTOBUF_CHECK_CMD = $(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/protobuf.cc -lprotobuf $(LDFLAGS)
-PROTOC_CHECK_CMD = which protoc > /dev/null
-PROTOC_CHECK_VERSION_CMD = protoc --version | grep -q libprotoc.3
-DTRACE_CHECK_CMD = which dtrace > /dev/null
-SYSTEMTAP_HEADERS_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/systemtap.c $(LDFLAGS)
 
 ifeq ($(OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL),true)
 OPENSSL_ALPN_CHECK_CMD += -ldl
 endif
 
+endif # HAS_PKG_CONFIG
+
+PROTOC_CHECK_CMD = which protoc > /dev/null
+PROTOC_CHECK_VERSION_CMD = protoc --version | grep -q libprotoc.3
+DTRACE_CHECK_CMD = which dtrace > /dev/null
+SYSTEMTAP_HEADERS_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/systemtap.c $(LDFLAGS)
+
 ifndef REQUIRE_CUSTOM_LIBRARIES_$(CONFIG)
 HAS_SYSTEM_PERFTOOLS = $(shell $(PERFTOOLS_CHECK_CMD) 2> /dev/null && echo true || echo false)
 ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_PERFTOOLS),true)
@@ -442,9 +454,33 @@ LDFLAGS += -L$(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/zlib
 else
 DEP_MISSING += zlib
 endif
+else
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+CPPFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --cflags zlib)
+LDFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L zlib)
+endif
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_OPENSSL_ALPN),false)
+OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG = false
+
+ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_OPENSSL_ALPN),true)
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG = true
+CPPFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags openssl) $(CPPFLAGS)
+LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG = $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L openssl)
+ifeq ($(SYSTEM),Linux)
+ifneq ($(LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG),)
+LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L openssl | sed s/L/Wl,-rpath,/)
+endif
+endif
+LDFLAGS := $(LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG) $(LDFLAGS)
+else
+LIBS_SECURE = $(OPENSSL_LIBS)
+ifeq ($(OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL),true)
+LIBS_SECURE += dl
+endif
+endif
+else
 ifeq ($(HAS_EMBEDDED_OPENSSL_ALPN),true)
 OPENSSL_DEP = $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/openssl/libssl.a
 OPENSSL_MERGE_LIBS += $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/openssl/libssl.a $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/openssl/libcrypto.a
@@ -457,16 +493,28 @@ endif
 else
 NO_SECURE = true
 endif
-else
-LIBS_SECURE = $(OPENSSL_LIBS)
-ifeq ($(OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL),true)
-LIBS_SECURE += dl
-endif
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+LDLIBS_SECURE += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-l openssl)
+else
 LDLIBS_SECURE += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_SECURE))
+endif
+
+PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG = false
 
-ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_PROTOBUF),false)
+ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_PROTOBUF),true)
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG = true
+CPPFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags protobuf) $(CPPFLAGS)
+LDFLAGS_PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG = $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L protobuf)
+ifeq ($(SYSTEM),Linux)
+ifneq ($(LDFLAGS_PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG),)
+LDFLAGS_PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L protobuf | sed s/L/Wl,-rpath,/)
+endif
+endif
+endif
+else
 ifeq ($(HAS_EMBEDDED_PROTOBUF),true)
 PROTOBUF_DEP = $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/protobuf/libprotobuf.a
 CPPFLAGS := -Ithird_party/protobuf/src $(CPPFLAGS)
@@ -475,15 +523,19 @@ PROTOC = $(BINDIR)/$(CONFIG)/protobuf/protoc
 else
 NO_PROTOBUF = true
 endif
-else
 endif
 
 LIBS_PROTOBUF = protobuf
 LIBS_PROTOC = protoc protobuf
 
-LDLIBS_PROTOBUF += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_PROTOBUF))
 HOST_LDLIBS_PROTOC += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_PROTOC))
 
+ifeq ($(PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+LDLIBS_PROTOBUF += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-l protobuf)
+else
+LDLIBS_PROTOBUF += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_PROTOBUF))
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),clean)
 NO_DEPS = true
 endif
diff --git a/templates/Makefile.template b/templates/Makefile.template
index ebe207f1918..3b04d7d0415 100644
--- a/templates/Makefile.template
+++ b/templates/Makefile.template
@@ -345,6 +345,8 @@ HOST_LDLIBS = $(LDLIBS)
 # These are automatically computed variables.
 # There shouldn't be any need to change anything from now on.
 
+HAS_PKG_CONFIG = $(shell command -v pkg-config >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo true || echo false)
+
 ifeq ($(SYSTEM),MINGW32)
 SHARED_EXT = dll
 endif
@@ -369,6 +371,13 @@ ifeq ($(SYSTEM),Darwin)
 OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL = true
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+OPENSSL_ALPN_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --atleast-version=1.0.2 openssl
+ZLIB_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --exists zlib
+PERFTOOLS_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --exists profiler
+PROTOBUF_CHECK_CMD = pkg-config --atleast-version=3.0.0-alpha-3 protobuf
+else # HAS_PKG_CONFIG
+
 ifeq ($(SYSTEM),MINGW32)
 OPENSSL_LIBS = ssl32 eay32
 else
@@ -379,15 +388,18 @@ OPENSSL_ALPN_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/ope
 ZLIB_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/zlib.c -lz $(LDFLAGS)
 PERFTOOLS_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/perftools.c -lprofiler $(LDFLAGS)
 PROTOBUF_CHECK_CMD = $(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/protobuf.cc -lprotobuf $(LDFLAGS)
-PROTOC_CHECK_CMD = which protoc > /dev/null
-PROTOC_CHECK_VERSION_CMD = protoc --version | grep -q libprotoc.3
-DTRACE_CHECK_CMD = which dtrace > /dev/null
-SYSTEMTAP_HEADERS_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/systemtap.c $(LDFLAGS)
 
 ifeq ($(OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL),true)
 OPENSSL_ALPN_CHECK_CMD += -ldl
 endif
 
+endif # HAS_PKG_CONFIG
+
+PROTOC_CHECK_CMD = which protoc > /dev/null
+PROTOC_CHECK_VERSION_CMD = protoc --version | grep -q libprotoc.3
+DTRACE_CHECK_CMD = which dtrace > /dev/null
+SYSTEMTAP_HEADERS_CHECK_CMD = $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -o $(TMPOUT) test/build/systemtap.c $(LDFLAGS)
+
 ifndef REQUIRE_CUSTOM_LIBRARIES_$(CONFIG)
 HAS_SYSTEM_PERFTOOLS = $(shell $(PERFTOOLS_CHECK_CMD) 2> /dev/null && echo true || echo false)
 ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_PERFTOOLS),true)
@@ -456,9 +468,33 @@ LDFLAGS += -L$(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/zlib
 else
 DEP_MISSING += zlib
 endif
+else
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+CPPFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --cflags zlib)
+LDFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L zlib)
+endif
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_OPENSSL_ALPN),false)
+OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG = false
+
+ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_OPENSSL_ALPN),true)
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG = true
+CPPFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags openssl) $(CPPFLAGS)
+LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG = $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L openssl)
+ifeq ($(SYSTEM),Linux)
+ifneq ($(LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG),)
+LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L openssl | sed s/L/Wl,-rpath,/)
+endif
+endif
+LDFLAGS := $(LDFLAGS_OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG) $(LDFLAGS)
+else
+LIBS_SECURE = $(OPENSSL_LIBS)
+ifeq ($(OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL),true)
+LIBS_SECURE += dl
+endif
+endif
+else
 ifeq ($(HAS_EMBEDDED_OPENSSL_ALPN),true)
 OPENSSL_DEP = $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/openssl/libssl.a
 OPENSSL_MERGE_LIBS += $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/openssl/libssl.a $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/openssl/libcrypto.a
@@ -471,16 +507,28 @@ endif
 else
 NO_SECURE = true
 endif
-else
-LIBS_SECURE = $(OPENSSL_LIBS)
-ifeq ($(OPENSSL_REQUIRES_DL),true)
-LIBS_SECURE += dl
-endif
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(OPENSSL_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+LDLIBS_SECURE += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-l openssl)
+else
 LDLIBS_SECURE += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_SECURE))
+endif
+
+PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG = false
 
-ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_PROTOBUF),false)
+ifeq ($(HAS_SYSTEM_PROTOBUF),true)
+ifeq ($(HAS_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG = true
+CPPFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags protobuf) $(CPPFLAGS)
+LDFLAGS_PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG = $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L protobuf)
+ifeq ($(SYSTEM),Linux)
+ifneq ($(LDFLAGS_PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG),)
+LDFLAGS_PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-L protobuf | sed s/L/Wl,-rpath,/)
+endif
+endif
+endif
+else
 ifeq ($(HAS_EMBEDDED_PROTOBUF),true)
 PROTOBUF_DEP = $(LIBDIR)/$(CONFIG)/protobuf/libprotobuf.a
 CPPFLAGS := -Ithird_party/protobuf/src $(CPPFLAGS)
@@ -489,15 +537,19 @@ PROTOC = $(BINDIR)/$(CONFIG)/protobuf/protoc
 else
 NO_PROTOBUF = true
 endif
-else
 endif
 
 LIBS_PROTOBUF = protobuf
 LIBS_PROTOC = protoc protobuf
 
-LDLIBS_PROTOBUF += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_PROTOBUF))
 HOST_LDLIBS_PROTOC += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_PROTOC))
 
+ifeq ($(PROTOBUF_PKG_CONFIG),true)
+LDLIBS_PROTOBUF += $(shell pkg-config --libs-only-l protobuf)
+else
+LDLIBS_PROTOBUF += $(addprefix -l, $(LIBS_PROTOBUF))
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),clean)
 NO_DEPS = true
 endif