diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d7e5da7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+/.rust/
+/bin/
+/build/
+/lib/
diff --git a/src/ssl/lib.rs b/src/ssl/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d52a0cfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ssl/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+
+mod ffi {
+    use std::libc::{c_int};
+
+    #[link_args = "-lssl"]
+    extern "C" {
+        fn SSL_library_init() -> c_int;
+        fn SSL_load_error_strings();
+    }
+}
+
+#[fixed_stack_segment]
+pub fn init() {
+    unsafe {
+        ffi::SSL_library_init();
+        ffi::SSL_load_error_strings();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ssl/test.rs b/src/ssl/test.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..798f07f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ssl/test.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+extern mod ssl;
+
+#[test]
+fn test_init_works() {
+    ssl::init();
+}