diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6e18dbd5..1661b167 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ jobs:
         platform:
           - "x64-mingw32"
           - "x64-mingw-ucrt"
-    name: cross-compile-windows
+          - "x86_64-linux-gnu"
+
+    name: cross-compile
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
         with:
           ruby-version: "2.7"
-      
+
       - name: "Install dependencies"
         run: bundle install
 
@@ -34,10 +36,10 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
           path: ports
-          key: cross-compiled-v7-${{ matrix.platform }}-${{ hashFiles('**/.ports_versions') }}
+          key: cross-compiled-v8-${{ matrix.platform }}-${{ hashFiles('**/.ports_versions') }}
           restore-keys: |
-            cross-compiled-v7-${{ matrix.platform }}-${{ hashFiles('**/.ports_versions') }}
-            cross-compiled-v7-${{ matrix.platform }}-
+            cross-compiled-v8-${{ matrix.platform }}-${{ hashFiles('**/.ports_versions') }}
+            cross-compiled-v8-${{ matrix.platform }}-
 
       - name: Build gem
         shell: bash
@@ -123,21 +125,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install native gem and restore cross-compiled code from it
         shell: pwsh
-        run: |
-          $rubyArchitecture = (ruby -e "puts RbConfig::CONFIG['arch']").Trim()
-          $gemVersion = (Get-Content VERSION).Trim()
-          $gemToUnpack = "./tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$rubyArchitecture.gem"
-
-          Write-Host "Looking to unpack $gemToUnpack"
-          gem unpack --target ./tmp "$gemToUnpack"
-
-          # Restore precompiled code
-          $source = (Resolve-Path ".\tmp\tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$rubyArchitecture\lib\tiny_tds").Path
-          $destination = (Resolve-Path ".\lib\tiny_tds").Path
-          Get-ChildItem $source -Recurse -Exclude "*.rb" | Copy-Item -Destination {Join-Path $destination $_.FullName.Substring($source.length)}
-
-          # Restore ports
-          Copy-Item -Path ".\tmp\tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$rubyArchitecture\ports" -Destination "." -Recurse
+        run: "& ./test/bin/restore-from-native-gem.ps1"
+        env:
+          RUBY_ARCHITECTURE: "x64-mingw32"
 
       - name: Setup MSSQL
         uses: rails-sqlserver/setup-mssql@v1
@@ -250,21 +240,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install native gem and restore cross-compiled code from it
         shell: pwsh
-        run: |
-          $rubyArchitecture = (ruby -e "puts RbConfig::CONFIG['arch']").Trim()
-          $gemVersion = (Get-Content VERSION).Trim()
-          $gemToUnpack = "./tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$rubyArchitecture.gem"
-
-          Write-Host "Looking to unpack $gemToUnpack"
-          gem unpack --target ./tmp "$gemToUnpack"
-
-          # Restore precompiled code
-          $source = (Resolve-Path ".\tmp\tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$rubyArchitecture\lib\tiny_tds").Path
-          $destination = (Resolve-Path ".\lib\tiny_tds").Path
-          Get-ChildItem $source -Recurse -Exclude "*.rb" | Copy-Item -Destination {Join-Path $destination $_.FullName.Substring($source.length)}
-
-          # Restore ports
-          Copy-Item -Path ".\tmp\tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$rubyArchitecture\ports" -Destination "." -Recurse
+        run: "& ./test/bin/restore-from-native-gem.ps1"
+        env:
+          RUBY_ARCHITECTURE: "x64-mingw-ucrt"
 
       - name: Setup MSSQL
         uses: rails-sqlserver/setup-mssql@v1
@@ -336,44 +314,59 @@ jobs:
           ruby -e "require 'tiny_tds'; puts TinyTds::Gem.root_path"
           exit $LASTEXITCODE
 
-  compile-native-ports:
+  install-linux:
+    needs:
+      - cross-compile
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        platform:
+          - "x86_64-linux-gnu"
+
+        ruby-version:
+          - "2.7"
+          - "3.0"
+          - "3.1"
+          - "3.2"
+          - "3.3"
+          - "3.4"
+
+    name: install-linux
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    name: cross-compile-linux
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
-        with:
-          ruby-version: 3.4
-          bundler-cache: true
-
-      - name: Write used versions into file
-        run: bundle exec rake ports:version_file
-
-      - name: Cache ports
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
+      - name: Download precompiled gem
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          path: ports
-          key: native-v3-${{ hashFiles('**/.ports_versions') }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            native-v3-${{ hashFiles('* */.ports_versions') }}
-            native-v3-
+          name: gem-${{ matrix.platform }}
+          path: precompiled/gems
 
-      - name: Build required libraries
-        run: |
-          bundle exec rake ports
+      - run: |
+          docker run --rm -v $PWD/precompiled:/precompiled -w /precompiled \
+            ${{ matrix.docker_platform }} ruby:${{ matrix.ruby-version }}${{ matrix.docker_tag }} \
+            sh -c "
+              gem update --system 3.3.22 &&
+              gem install --no-document ./gems/tiny_tds-$(cat VERSION)-${{ matrix.platform }}.gem &&
+              ruby -e \"require 'tiny_tds'; puts TinyTds::Gem.root_path\"
+            "
 
   test-linux:
     needs:
-      - compile-native-ports
+      - cross-compile
     name: test-linux
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
+        force-encryption:
+          - false
+          - true
+
         mssql-version:
           - 2017
           - 2019
           - 2022
+
         ruby-version:
           - "2.7"
           - "3.0"
@@ -391,20 +384,16 @@ jobs:
           ruby-version: ${{ matrix.ruby-version }}
           bundler-cache: true
 
-      - name: Write used versions into file
-        run: |
-          bundle exec rake ports:version_file
-
-      - name: Cache ports
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
+      - name: Download precompiled gem
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          path: ports
-          key: native-v3-${{ hashFiles('**/.ports_versions') }}
-          fail-on-cache-miss: true
+          name: gem-x86_64-linux-gnu
 
-      - name: Build gem
-        run: |
-          bundle exec rake build
+      - name: Install native gem and restore cross-compiled code from it
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: "& ./test/bin/restore-from-native-gem.ps1"
+        env:
+          RUBY_ARCHITECTURE: "x86_64-linux-gnu"
 
       - name: Setup MSSQL
         uses: rails-sqlserver/setup-mssql@v1
@@ -412,6 +401,7 @@ jobs:
           components: sqlcmd,sqlengine
           version: ${{ matrix.mssql-version }}
           sa-password: "c0MplicatedP@ssword"
+          force-encryption: ${{ matrix.force-encryption }}
 
       - name: Setup MSSQL database
         run: |
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 403d6deb..98505576 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ CrossLibrary = Struct.new :platform, :openssl_config
 CrossLibraries = [
 	['x64-mingw-ucrt', 'mingw64'],
 	['x64-mingw32', 'mingw64'],
+  ['x86_64-linux-gnu', 'linux-x86_64'],
 ].map do |platform, openssl_config|
 	CrossLibrary.new platform, openssl_config
 end
@@ -35,9 +36,11 @@ Rake::ExtensionTask.new('tiny_tds', SPEC) do |ext|
     # The fat binary gem doesn't depend on the freetds package, since it bundles the library.
     spec.metadata.delete('msys2_mingw_dependencies')
     
-    spec.files += [
-      "ports/#{spec.platform.to_s}/bin/libsybdb-5.dll"
-    ]
+    if spec.platform.to_s =~ /mingw/
+      spec.files << "ports/#{spec.platform.to_s}/bin/libsybdb-5.dll"
+    elsif spec.platform.to_s =~ /linux/
+      spec.files << "ports/#{spec.platform.to_s}/lib/libsybdb.so.5"
+    end
   end
 
   ext.cross_config_options += CrossLibraries.map do |xlib|
diff --git a/ext/tiny_tds/extconf.rb b/ext/tiny_tds/extconf.rb
index 2786a7bd..152ef052 100644
--- a/ext/tiny_tds/extconf.rb
+++ b/ext/tiny_tds/extconf.rb
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ class << recipe
       
       def configure
         envs = []
-        envs << "CFLAGS=-DDSO_WIN32 -DOPENSSL_THREADS" if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /mingw|mswin/
-        envs << "CFLAGS=-fPIC -DOPENSSL_THREADS" if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /linux/
+        envs << "CFLAGS=-DDSO_WIN32 -DOPENSSL_THREADS" if MiniPortile.windows?
+        envs << "CFLAGS=-fPIC -DOPENSSL_THREADS" if MiniPortile.linux?
         execute('configure', ['env', *envs, "./Configure", openssl_platform, "threads", "-static", "CROSS_COMPILE=#{host}-", configure_prefix, "--libdir=lib"], altlog: "config.log")
       end
       
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def install
   end
 
   libiconv_recipe = BuildRecipe.new("libiconv", ICONV_VERSION, [ICONV_SOURCE_URI]).tap do |recipe|
-    recipe.configure_options << "CFLAGS=-fPIC" if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /linux/
+    recipe.configure_options << "CFLAGS=-fPIC" if MiniPortile.linux?
     recipe.gem_platform = gem_platform
 
     recipe.cook_and_activate
@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@ def configure_defaults
           "--host=#{@host}",
           "--enable-shared",
           "--disable-static",
-          "--disable-odbc",
-          "--enable-sspi",
+          "--disable-odbc"
         ]
       end
     end
@@ -100,13 +99,18 @@ def configure_defaults
     # it seems that FreeTDS build system prefers OPENSSL_CFLAGS and OPENSSL_LIBS
     # but the linker still relies on LIBS and CPPFLAGS
     # removing one or the other leads to build failures in any case of FreeTDS
-    recipe.configure_options << "CFLAGS=-fPIC" if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /linux/
+    if MiniPortile.linux?
+      recipe.configure_options << "CFLAGS=-fPIC"
+    elsif MiniPortile.windows?
+      recipe.configure_options << "--enable-sspi"
+    end
+
     recipe.configure_options << "LDFLAGS=-L#{openssl_recipe.path}/lib"
-		recipe.configure_options << "LIBS=-liconv -lssl -lcrypto -lwsock32 -lgdi32 -lws2_32 -lcrypt32"
+		recipe.configure_options << "LIBS=-liconv -lssl -lcrypto #{"-lwsock32 -lgdi32 -lws2_32 -lcrypt32" if MiniPortile.windows?} #{"-ldl -lpthread" if MiniPortile.linux?}"
     recipe.configure_options << "CPPFLAGS=-I#{openssl_recipe.path}/include"
 
     recipe.configure_options << "OPENSSL_CFLAGS=-L#{openssl_recipe.path}/lib"
-    recipe.configure_options << "OPENSSL_LIBS=-lssl -lcrypto -lwsock32 -lgdi32 -lws2_32 -lcrypt32"
+    recipe.configure_options << "OPENSSL_LIBS=-lssl -lcrypto #{"-lwsock32 -lgdi32 -lws2_32 -lcrypt32" if MiniPortile.windows?} #{"-ldl -lpthread" if MiniPortile.linux?}"
 
     recipe.configure_options << "--with-openssl=#{openssl_recipe.path}"
     recipe.configure_options << "--with-libiconv-prefix=#{libiconv_recipe.path}"
@@ -115,7 +119,9 @@ def configure_defaults
     recipe.cook_and_activate
   end
 
-  ENV["LDFLAGS"] = "-Wl,-rpath -Wl,#{freetds_recipe.path}/lib"
+  # enable relative path to later load the FreeTDS shared library
+  $LDFLAGS << " '-Wl,-rpath=$$ORIGIN/../../../ports/#{gem_platform}/lib'"
+
   dir_config('freetds', "#{freetds_recipe.path}/include", "#{freetds_recipe.path}/lib")
 else
   # Make sure to check the ports path for the configured host
@@ -172,14 +178,10 @@ def configure_defaults
   dir_config('freetds', idirs, ldirs)
 end
 
-if /solaris/ =~ RUBY_PLATFORM
-	append_cppflags( '-D__EXTENSIONS__' )
-end
-
 find_header('sybfront.h') or abort "Can't find the 'sybfront.h' header"
 find_header('sybdb.h') or abort "Can't find the 'sybdb.h' header"
 
-unless find_library('sybdb', 'dbanydatecrack')
+unless have_library('sybdb', 'dbanydatecrack')
   abort "Failed! Do you have FreeTDS 1.0.0 or higher installed?"
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/tiny_tds.rb b/lib/tiny_tds.rb
index 74da6646..ca08f9fe 100644
--- a/lib/tiny_tds.rb
+++ b/lib/tiny_tds.rb
@@ -9,53 +9,41 @@
 require 'tiny_tds/result'
 require 'tiny_tds/gem'
 
-# Support multiple ruby versions, fat binaries under Windows.
-if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /mingw|mswin/ && RUBY_VERSION =~ /(\d+.\d+)/
-  ver = Regexp.last_match(1)
+module TinyTds
+
+  # Is this file part of a fat binary gem with bundled freetds?
+  # This path must be enabled by add_dll_directory on Windows.
+  gplat = ::Gem::Platform.local
+  POSTGRESQL_LIB_PATH = Dir[File.expand_path("../ports/#{gplat.cpu}-#{gplat.os}*/lib", __dir__)].first
 
   add_dll_path = proc do |path, &block|
-    begin
-      require 'ruby_installer/runtime'
-      RubyInstaller::Runtime.add_dll_directory(path, &block)
-    rescue LoadError
-      old_path = ENV['PATH']
-      ENV['PATH'] = "#{path};#{old_path}"
+    if RUBY_PLATFORM =~/(mswin|mingw)/i && path
       begin
+        require 'ruby_installer/runtime'
+        RubyInstaller::Runtime.add_dll_directory(path, &block)
+      rescue LoadError
+        old_path = ENV['PATH']
+        ENV['PATH'] = "#{path};#{old_path}"
         block.call
-      ensure
         ENV['PATH'] = old_path
       end
-    end
-  end
-
-  add_dll_paths = proc do |paths, &block|
-    if path=paths.shift
-      add_dll_path.call(path) do
-        add_dll_paths.call(paths, &block)
-      end
     else
+      # libpq is found by a relative rpath in the cross compiled extension dll
+      # or by the system library loader
       block.call
     end
   end
 
-  # Temporary add bin directories for DLL search, so that freetds DLL can be found.
-  add_dll_paths.call( TinyTds::Gem.ports_bin_paths ) do
+  # Add a load path to the one retrieved from pg_config
+  add_dll_path.call(POSTGRESQL_LIB_PATH) do
     begin
-      require "tiny_tds/#{ver}/tiny_tds"
-    rescue LoadError
+      # Try the <major>.<minor> subdirectory for fat binary gems
+      major_minor = RUBY_VERSION[ /^(\d+\.\d+)/ ] or
+        raise "Oops, can't extract the major/minor version from #{RUBY_VERSION.dump}"
+      require "tiny_tds/#{major_minor}/tiny_tds"
+    rescue LoadError => e
+      puts e.inspect
       require 'tiny_tds/tiny_tds'
     end
   end
-else
-  # Load dependent shared libraries into the process, so that they are already present,
-  # when tiny_tds.so is loaded. This ensures, that shared libraries are loaded even when
-  # the path is different between build and run time (e.g. Heroku).
-  ports_libs = File.join(TinyTds::Gem.ports_root_path,
-                         "#{RbConfig::CONFIG['host']}/lib/*.so")
-  Dir[ports_libs].each do |lib|
-    require 'fiddle'
-    Fiddle.dlopen(lib)
-  end
-
-  require 'tiny_tds/tiny_tds'
 end
diff --git a/tasks/native_gem.rake b/tasks/native_gem.rake
index 90c702ee..18be796d 100644
--- a/tasks/native_gem.rake
+++ b/tasks/native_gem.rake
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ CrossLibraries.each do |xlib|
 
 		RakeCompilerDock.sh <<-EOT, platform: platform
 			bundle install &&
-			rake native:#{platform} pkg/#{SPEC.full_name}-#{platform}.gem MAKEOPTS=-j`nproc` RUBY_CC_VERSION=3.4.1:3.3.5:3.2.0:3.1.0:3.0.0:2.7.0
+			rake native:#{platform} pkg/#{SPEC.full_name}-#{platform}.gem MAKEOPTS=-j`nproc` RUBY_CC_VERSION=3.4.1:3.3.5:3.2.0:3.1.0:3.0.0:2.7.0 MAKEFLAGS="V=1"
 		EOT
 	end
 
diff --git a/test/bin/restore-from-native-gem.ps1 b/test/bin/restore-from-native-gem.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..daeb0287
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bin/restore-from-native-gem.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+$gemVersion = (Get-Content VERSION).Trim()
+$gemToUnpack = "./tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$env:RUBY_ARCHITECTURE.gem"
+
+Write-Host "Looking to unpack $gemToUnpack"
+gem unpack --target ./tmp "$gemToUnpack"
+
+# Restore precompiled code
+$source = (Resolve-Path ".\tmp\tiny_tds-$gemVersion-$env:RUBY_ARCHITECTURE\lib\tiny_tds").Path
+$destination = (Resolve-Path ".\lib\tiny_tds").Path
+Get-ChildItem $source -Recurse -Exclude "*.rb" | Copy-Item -Destination {Join-Path $destination $_.FullName.Substring($source.length)}
diff --git a/tiny_tds.gemspec b/tiny_tds.gemspec
index e50f3bbe..67f5e903 100644
--- a/tiny_tds.gemspec
+++ b/tiny_tds.gemspec
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.required_ruby_version = '>= 2.7.0'
   s.metadata['msys2_mingw_dependencies'] = 'freetds'
   s.add_dependency 'bigdecimal', '~> 3'
-  s.add_development_dependency 'mini_portile2', '~> 2.5.0'
+  s.add_development_dependency 'mini_portile2', '~> 2.8.0'
   s.add_development_dependency 'rake', '~> 13.0.0'
   s.add_development_dependency 'rake-compiler', '~> 1.2'
   s.add_development_dependency 'rake-compiler-dock', '~> 1.7.0'