diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6375f9dd..b3335225 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,6 +83,13 @@ if (WITH_GSSAPI)
     find_package(GSSAPI)
 endif (WITH_GSSAPI)
 
+if (WITH_PKCS11_URI)
+    find_package(softhsm)
+    if (NOT SOFTHSM_FOUND)
+        message(SEND_ERROR "Could not find softhsm module!")
+     endif (NOT SOFTHSM_FOUND)
+endif (WITH_PKCS11_URI)
+
 if (WITH_NACL)
     find_package(NaCl)
     if (NOT NACL_FOUND)
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Findsofthsm.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Findsofthsm.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a29b6d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Findsofthsm.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# - Try to find softhsm
+# Once done this will define
+#
+#  SOFTHSM_FOUND - system has softhsm
+#  SOFTHSM_LIBRARIES - Link these to use softhsm
+#
+#=============================================================================
+#  Copyright (c) 2019 Sahana Prasad <sahana@redhat.com>
+#
+#  Distributed under the OSI-approved BSD License (the "License");
+#  see accompanying file Copyright.txt for details.
+#
+#  This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the
+#  implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+#  See the License for more information.
+#=============================================================================
+#
+
+
+find_library(SOFTHSM2_LIBRARY
+    NAMES
+        softhsm2
+)
+
+if (SOFTHSM2_LIBRARY)
+    set(SOFTHSM_LIBRARIES
+        ${SOFTHSM_LIBRARIES}
+        ${SOFTHSM2_LIBRARY}
+    )
+endif (SOFTHSM2_LIBRARY)
+
+include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+find_package_handle_standard_args(softhsm DEFAULT_MSG SOFTHSM_LIBRARIES)
+
+# show the SOFTHSM_INCLUDE_DIR and SOFTHSM_LIBRARIES variables only in the advanced view
+mark_as_advanced(SOFTHSM_LIBRARIES)