diff --git a/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.result b/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.result
index f1dd8ed5eaa..42952be16e2 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.result
+++ b/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.result
@@ -713,3 +713,27 @@ END;
 $$
 CALL p1;
 DROP PROCEDURE p1;
+#
+# MDEV-17278 CURSOR FOR LOOP - ERROR: unexpected end of stream, read 0 bytes (SERVER CRASH)
+#
+CREATE TABLE t1 (id2 int, id int, en1 enum('aaa','a','b','c'));
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(1,1,'aaa'),(2,2,'a'),(3,3,'b'),(4,4,'c');
+CREATE PROCEDURE p1()
+BEGIN
+FOR rec IN (SELECT en1 FROM t1)
+DO
+SELECT rec.en1;
+END FOR;
+END;
+$$
+CALL p1();
+rec.en1
+aaa
+rec.en1
+a
+rec.en1
+b
+rec.en1
+c
+DROP PROCEDURE p1;
+DROP TABLE t1;
diff --git a/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.test b/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.test
index 735514ff376..97483ef9caf 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.test
+++ b/mysql-test/main/sp-cursor.test
@@ -723,3 +723,24 @@ $$
 DELIMITER ;$$
 CALL p1;
 DROP PROCEDURE p1;
+
+
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-17278 CURSOR FOR LOOP - ERROR: unexpected end of stream, read 0 bytes (SERVER CRASH)
+--echo #
+
+CREATE TABLE t1 (id2 int, id int, en1 enum('aaa','a','b','c'));
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(1,1,'aaa'),(2,2,'a'),(3,3,'b'),(4,4,'c');
+DELIMITER $$;
+CREATE PROCEDURE p1()
+BEGIN
+  FOR rec IN (SELECT en1 FROM t1)
+  DO
+    SELECT rec.en1;
+  END FOR;
+END;
+$$
+DELIMITER ;$$
+CALL p1();
+DROP PROCEDURE p1;
+DROP TABLE t1;
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/r/sp-cursor-rowtype.result b/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/r/sp-cursor-rowtype.result
index 093d52ba4e3..a60bbc38883 100644
--- a/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/r/sp-cursor-rowtype.result
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/r/sp-cursor-rowtype.result
@@ -1479,3 +1479,28 @@ f1()
 1
 DROP FUNCTION f1;
 DROP TABLE t1;
+#
+# MDEV-17278 CURSOR FOR LOOP - ERROR: unexpected end of stream, read 0 bytes (SERVER CRASH)
+#
+CREATE TABLE t1 (id2 int, id int, en1 enum('aaa','a','b','c'));
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(1,1,'aaa'),(2,2,'a'),(3,3,'b'),(4,4,'c');
+CREATE PROCEDURE p1()
+AS
+BEGIN
+FOR rec IN (SELECT en1 FROM t1)
+LOOP
+SELECT rec.en1;
+END LOOP;
+END;
+$$
+CALL p1();
+rec.en1
+aaa
+rec.en1
+a
+rec.en1
+b
+rec.en1
+c
+DROP PROCEDURE p1;
+DROP TABLE t1;
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/t/sp-cursor-rowtype.test b/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/t/sp-cursor-rowtype.test
index 31e28d5c8de..ba0ca9b6a60 100644
--- a/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/t/sp-cursor-rowtype.test
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/compat/oracle/t/sp-cursor-rowtype.test
@@ -1572,3 +1572,26 @@ DELIMITER ;$$
 SELECT f1();
 DROP FUNCTION f1;
 DROP TABLE t1;
+
+
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-17278 CURSOR FOR LOOP - ERROR: unexpected end of stream, read 0 bytes (SERVER CRASH)
+--echo #
+
+CREATE TABLE t1 (id2 int, id int, en1 enum('aaa','a','b','c'));
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(1,1,'aaa'),(2,2,'a'),(3,3,'b'),(4,4,'c');
+
+DELIMITER $$;
+CREATE PROCEDURE p1()
+AS
+BEGIN
+  FOR rec IN (SELECT en1 FROM t1)
+  LOOP
+    SELECT rec.en1;
+  END LOOP;
+END;
+$$
+DELIMITER ;$$
+CALL p1();
+DROP PROCEDURE p1;
+DROP TABLE t1;
diff --git a/sql/sp_head.cc b/sql/sp_head.cc
index c8b9576fe88..28411509adf 100644
--- a/sql/sp_head.cc
+++ b/sql/sp_head.cc
@@ -4475,19 +4475,21 @@ sp_instr_cursor_copy_struct::exec_core(THD *thd, uint *nextp)
     if (!(ret= tmp.open(thd)))
     {
       Row_definition_list defs;
+      /*
+        Create row elements on the caller arena.
+        It's the same arena that was used during sp_rcontext::create().
+        This puts cursor%ROWTYPE elements on the same mem_root
+        where explicit ROW elements and table%ROWTYPE reside:
+        - tmp.export_structure() allocates new Spvar_definition instances
+          and their components (such as TYPELIBs).
+        - row->row_create_items() creates new Item_field instances.
+        They all are created on the same mem_root.
+      */
+      Query_arena current_arena;
+      thd->set_n_backup_active_arena(thd->spcont->callers_arena, &current_arena);
       if (!(ret= tmp.export_structure(thd, &defs)))
-      {
-        /*
-          Create row elements on the caller arena.
-          It's the same arena that was used during sp_rcontext::create().
-          This puts cursor%ROWTYPE elements on the same mem_root
-          where explicit ROW elements and table%ROWTYPE reside.
-        */
-        Query_arena current_arena;
-        thd->set_n_backup_active_arena(thd->spcont->callers_arena, &current_arena);
         row->row_create_items(thd, &defs);
-        thd->restore_active_arena(thd->spcont->callers_arena, &current_arena);
-      }
+      thd->restore_active_arena(thd->spcont->callers_arena, &current_arena);
       tmp.close(thd);
     }
   }