--- build/ssdeep.m4.orig
+++ build/ssdeep.m4
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
     if test "x${with_ssdeep}" == "xyes"; then
         SSDEEP_MANDATORY=yes
         AC_MSG_NOTICE([SSDEEP support was marked as mandatory by the utilization of --with-ssdeep=yes])
+    elif test "x${with_ssdeep}" != "x"; then
+        SSDEEP_MANDATORY=yes
+        SSDEEP_POSSIBLE_PATHS="${with_ssdeep}"
+        AC_MSG_NOTICE([SSDEEP support was marked as mandatory by the utilization of --with-ssdeep=path])
     else
         SSDEEP_MANDATORY=no
     fi