diff --git a/ports/rdkafka/CONTROL b/ports/rdkafka/CONTROL
index 6d2d9c00f05..a278915c8cb 100644
--- a/ports/rdkafka/CONTROL
+++ b/ports/rdkafka/CONTROL
@@ -1,4 +1,20 @@
 Source: rdkafka
 Version: v1.0.0
 Description: The Apache Kafka C/C++ library 
-Build-Depends: openssl, zlib, zstd
+Default-Features: ssl
+
+Feature: lz4
+Description: Enable external LZ4 library support 
+Build-Depends: lz4
+
+Feature: ssl
+Description: Build with OpenSSL
+Build-Depends: openssl
+
+Feature: zlib
+Description: Build with zlib
+Build-Depends: zlib
+
+Feature: zstd
+Description: Build with zstd
+Build-Depends: zstd
diff --git a/ports/rdkafka/portfile.cmake b/ports/rdkafka/portfile.cmake
index 17b2b18de27..7db996bb434 100644
--- a/ports/rdkafka/portfile.cmake
+++ b/ports/rdkafka/portfile.cmake
@@ -10,6 +10,30 @@ vcpkg_from_github(
 
 string(COMPARE EQUAL "${VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE}" "static" RDKAFKA_BUILD_STATIC)
 
+if("lz4" IN_LIST FEATURES)
+    set(ENABLE_LZ4_EXT ON)
+else()
+    set(ENABLE_LZ4_EXT OFF)
+endif()
+
+if("ssl" IN_LIST FEATURES)
+    set(WITH_SSL ON)
+else()
+    set(WITH_SSL OFF)
+endif()
+
+if("zlib" IN_LIST FEATURES)
+    set(WITH_ZLIB ON)
+else()
+    set(WITH_ZLIB OFF)
+endif()
+
+if("zstd" IN_LIST FEATURES)
+    set(WITH_ZSTD ON)
+else()
+    set(WITH_ZSTD OFF)
+endif()
+
 vcpkg_configure_cmake(
     SOURCE_PATH ${SOURCE_PATH}
     PREFER_NINJA
@@ -17,14 +41,20 @@ vcpkg_configure_cmake(
         -DRDKAFKA_BUILD_STATIC=${RDKAFKA_BUILD_STATIC}
         -DRDKAFKA_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF
         -DRDKAFKA_BUILD_TESTS=OFF
+        -DENABLE_LZ4_EXT=${ENABLE_LZ4_EXT}
+        -DWITH_SSL=${WITH_SSL}
+        -DWITH_ZLIB=${WITH_ZLIB}
+        -DWITH_ZSTD=${WITH_ZSTD}
     OPTIONS_DEBUG
         -DENABLE_DEVEL=ON
         -DENABLE_REFCNT_DEBUG=ON
         -DENABLE_SHAREDPTR_DEBUG=ON
+        -DWITHOUT_OPTIMIZATION=ON
     OPTIONS_RELEASE
         -DENABLE_DEVEL=OFF
         -DENABLE_REFCNT_DEBUG=OFF
         -DENABLE_SHAREDPTR_DEBUG=OFF
+        -DWITHOUT_OPTIMIZATION=OFF
 )
 
 vcpkg_install_cmake()