diff --git a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/epss/EpssDataFeed.java b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/epss/EpssDataFeed.java
index 5632a3d8..21d16e2e 100644
--- a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/epss/EpssDataFeed.java
+++ b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/epss/EpssDataFeed.java
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ public List<EpssItem> download() {
         List<EpssItem> list = null;
         HttpGet request = new HttpGet(downloadUrl);
         SystemDefaultRoutePlanner planner = new SystemDefaultRoutePlanner(ProxySelector.getDefault());
-        try (CloseableHttpClient client = HttpClientBuilder.create().setRoutePlanner(planner).build()) {
+        try (CloseableHttpClient client = HttpClientBuilder.create().setRoutePlanner(planner).useSystemProperties()
+                .build()) {
             list = client.execute(request, new EpssResponseHandler());
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
diff --git a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/ghsa/GitHubSecurityAdvisoryClient.java b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/ghsa/GitHubSecurityAdvisoryClient.java
index 021f4de8..47c5eb32 100644
--- a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/ghsa/GitHubSecurityAdvisoryClient.java
+++ b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/ghsa/GitHubSecurityAdvisoryClient.java
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public GitHubSecurityAdvisoryClient(String githubToken, String endpoint) {
         cwesTemplate = loadMustacheTemplate(CWES_TEMPLATE);
 
         SystemDefaultRoutePlanner planner = new SystemDefaultRoutePlanner(ProxySelector.getDefault());
-        httpClient = HttpAsyncClients.custom().setRoutePlanner(planner).build();
+        httpClient = HttpAsyncClients.custom().setRoutePlanner(planner).useSystemProperties().build();
         httpClient.start();
         objectMapper = new ObjectMapper();
         objectMapper.registerModule(new JavaTimeModule());
diff --git a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/kev/KevDataFeed.java b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/kev/KevDataFeed.java
index 7e6458c5..e5b37a42 100644
--- a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/kev/KevDataFeed.java
+++ b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/kev/KevDataFeed.java
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ public KevCatalog download() {
         HttpGet request = new HttpGet(downloadUrl);
         SystemDefaultRoutePlanner planner = new SystemDefaultRoutePlanner(ProxySelector.getDefault());
         String json;
-        try (CloseableHttpClient client = HttpClientBuilder.create().setRoutePlanner(planner).build()) {
+        try (CloseableHttpClient client = HttpClientBuilder.create().setRoutePlanner(planner).useSystemProperties()
+                .build()) {
             json = client.execute(request, new BasicHttpClientResponseHandler());
         } catch (IOException e) {
             throw new KevException("Unable to download the Known Exploitable Vulnerability Catalog", e);
diff --git a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/nvd/RateLimitedClient.java b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/nvd/RateLimitedClient.java
index f6af98d2..a9591678 100644
--- a/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/nvd/RateLimitedClient.java
+++ b/open-vulnerability-clients/src/main/java/io/github/jeremylong/openvulnerability/client/nvd/RateLimitedClient.java
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ class RateLimitedClient implements AutoCloseable {
         LOG.debug("rate limited call delay: {}", delay);
         NvdApiRetryStrategy retryStrategy = new NvdApiRetryStrategy(maxRetries, minimumDelay);
         SystemDefaultRoutePlanner planner = new SystemDefaultRoutePlanner(ProxySelector.getDefault());
-        client = HttpAsyncClients.custom().setRoutePlanner(planner).setRetryStrategy(retryStrategy).build();
+        client = HttpAsyncClients.custom().setRoutePlanner(planner).setRetryStrategy(retryStrategy)
+                .useSystemProperties().build();
         client.start();
     }