diff --git a/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-2.9-r2.ebuild b/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-2.9-r2.ebuild
index 365c114a01658..e14a5f1ff72a8 100644
--- a/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-2.9-r2.ebuild
+++ b/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-2.9-r2.ebuild
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ fi
 
 LICENSE="BSD"
 SLOT="0"
-IUSE="internal-tls ipv6 libressl logwatch netlink sqlite +wps +crda"
+IUSE="internal-tls ipv6 libressl logwatch netlink sqlite +suiteb +wps +crda"
+
+# suiteb impl uses openssl feature not available in libressl, see bug 710992
+REQUIRED_USE="?? ( libressl suiteb )"
 
 DEPEND="
 	libressl? ( dev-libs/libressl:0= )
@@ -95,8 +98,11 @@ src_configure() {
 	echo "CONFIG_SAE=y" >> ${CONFIG}
 	echo "CONFIG_OWE=y" >> ${CONFIG}
 	echo "CONFIG_DPP=y" >> ${CONFIG}
-	echo "CONFIG_SUITEB=y" >> ${CONFIG}
-	echo "CONFIG_SUITEB192=y" >> ${CONFIG}
+
+	if use suiteb; then
+		echo "CONFIG_SUITEB=y" >> ${CONFIG}
+		echo "CONFIG_SUITEB192=y" >> ${CONFIG}
+	fi
 
 	if use internal-tls && ! use libressl; then
 		echo "CONFIG_TLS=internal" >> ${CONFIG}
diff --git a/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-9999.ebuild b/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-9999.ebuild
index 6ab779890926a..06ae239217e19 100644
--- a/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-9999.ebuild
+++ b/net-wireless/hostapd/hostapd-9999.ebuild
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ fi
 
 LICENSE="BSD"
 SLOT="0"
-IUSE="internal-tls ipv6 libressl logwatch netlink sqlite +wps +crda"
+IUSE="internal-tls ipv6 libressl logwatch netlink sqlite +suiteb +wps +crda"
+
+# suiteb impl uses openssl feature not available in libressl, see bug 710992
+REQUIRED_USE="?? ( libressl suiteb )"
 
 DEPEND="
 	libressl? ( dev-libs/libressl:0= )
@@ -93,8 +96,11 @@ src_configure() {
 	echo "CONFIG_SAE=y" >> ${CONFIG}
 	echo "CONFIG_OWE=y" >> ${CONFIG}
 	echo "CONFIG_DPP=y" >> ${CONFIG}
-	echo "CONFIG_SUITEB=y" >> ${CONFIG}
-	echo "CONFIG_SUITEB192=y" >> ${CONFIG}
+
+	if use suiteb; then
+		echo "CONFIG_SUITEB=y" >> ${CONFIG}
+		echo "CONFIG_SUITEB192=y" >> ${CONFIG}
+	fi
 
 	if use internal-tls && ! use libressl; then
 		echo "CONFIG_TLS=internal" >> ${CONFIG}
diff --git a/net-wireless/hostapd/metadata.xml b/net-wireless/hostapd/metadata.xml
index b06f07f2352a7..444076ebea2cf 100644
--- a/net-wireless/hostapd/metadata.xml
+++ b/net-wireless/hostapd/metadata.xml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 		<flag name="logwatch">Install support files for 
 			<pkg>sys-apps/logwatch</pkg></flag>
 		<flag name="netlink">Adding support for using netlink to create VLANs</flag>
+		<flag name="suiteb">Adding support for NSA Suite B Cryptography</flag>
 		<flag name="wps">Add support for Wi-Fi Protected Setup</flag>
 	</use>
 	<maintainer type="person">