diff --git a/ssl/s23_clnt.c b/ssl/s23_clnt.c
index 105e16aeae..8c198d44b3 100644
--- a/ssl/s23_clnt.c
+++ b/ssl/s23_clnt.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ SSL_METHOD *SSLv23_client_method(void)
 
 int ssl23_connect(SSL *s)
 	{
-	BUF_MEM *buf;
+	BUF_MEM *buf=NULL;
 	unsigned long Time=time(NULL);
 	void (*cb)()=NULL;
 	int ret= -1;
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ int ssl23_connect(SSL *s)
 					goto end;
 					}
 				s->init_buf=buf;
+				buf=NULL;
 				}
 
 			if (!ssl3_setup_buffers(s)) { ret= -1; goto end; }
@@ -207,6 +208,8 @@ int ssl23_connect(SSL *s)
 		}
 end:
 	s->in_handshake--;
+	if (buf != NULL)
+		BUF_MEM_free(buf);
 	if (cb != NULL)
 		cb(s,SSL_CB_CONNECT_EXIT,ret);
 	return(ret);
diff --git a/ssl/s2_clnt.c b/ssl/s2_clnt.c
index 5c40996e1c..61adfcf199 100644
--- a/ssl/s2_clnt.c
+++ b/ssl/s2_clnt.c
@@ -208,10 +208,13 @@ int ssl2_connect(SSL *s)
 			if (!BUF_MEM_grow(buf,
 				SSL2_MAX_RECORD_LENGTH_3_BYTE_HEADER))
 				{
+				if (buf == s->init_buf)
+					buf=NULL;
 				ret= -1;
 				goto end;
 				}
 			s->init_buf=buf;
+			buf=NULL;
 			s->init_num=0;
 			s->state=SSL2_ST_SEND_CLIENT_HELLO_A;
 			s->ctx->stats.sess_connect++;
@@ -338,6 +341,8 @@ int ssl2_connect(SSL *s)
 		}
 end:
 	s->in_handshake--;
+	if (buf != NULL)
+		BUF_MEM_free(buf);
 	if (cb != NULL) 
 		cb(s,SSL_CB_CONNECT_EXIT,ret);
 	return(ret);
diff --git a/ssl/s3_clnt.c b/ssl/s3_clnt.c
index c32a95581d..60c97ee629 100644
--- a/ssl/s3_clnt.c
+++ b/ssl/s3_clnt.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ SSL_METHOD *SSLv3_client_method(void)
 
 int ssl3_connect(SSL *s)
 	{
-	BUF_MEM *buf;
+	BUF_MEM *buf=NULL;
 	unsigned long Time=time(NULL),l;
 	long num1;
 	void (*cb)()=NULL;
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ int ssl3_connect(SSL *s)
 					goto end;
 					}
 				s->init_buf=buf;
+				buf=NULL;
 				}
 
 			if (!ssl3_setup_buffers(s)) { ret= -1; goto end; }
@@ -503,6 +504,8 @@ int ssl3_connect(SSL *s)
 		}
 end:
 	s->in_handshake--;
+	if (buf != NULL)
+		BUF_MEM_free(buf);
 	if (cb != NULL)
 		cb(s,SSL_CB_CONNECT_EXIT,ret);
 	return(ret);