diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp
index 5c6ca4019..b8e27ce1c 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR WiFiClient::WiFiClient(const WiFiClient& other)
 
 WiFiClient& ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR  WiFiClient::operator=(const WiFiClient& other)
 {
+   if (_client)
+        _client->unref(); 
     _client = other._client;
     if (_client)
         _client->ref();
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h
index bc550f2b9..9c9c0dd1e 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public:
     void ref()
     {
         ++_refcnt;
+        DEBUGV(":ref %d\r\n", _refcnt);
     }
 
     void unref()