diff --git a/mysql-test/main/ps.result b/mysql-test/main/ps.result
index 26c41526389..16700fd83d3 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/ps.result
+++ b/mysql-test/main/ps.result
@@ -5700,3 +5700,18 @@ EXECUTE stmt USING 'd';
 EXECUTE stmt USING 'd';
 300
 DROP TABLE t1, t2, t3;
+set @@max_session_mem_used=default;
+create table t (a varchar(10)) character set utf8;
+insert into t values ('');
+prepare stmt from "select 1 from t where a = ?";
+set @@max_session_mem_used=(select memory_used*2 from information_schema.processlist where id=connection_id());
+deallocate prepare stmt;
+drop table t;
+set @@max_session_mem_used=default;
+create table t (a varchar(10)) character set utf8;
+insert into t values ('');
+prepare stmt from "select 1 from t where a = 'a'";
+set @@max_session_mem_used=(select memory_used*2 from information_schema.processlist where id=connection_id());
+deallocate prepare stmt;
+drop table t;
+set @@max_session_mem_used=default;
diff --git a/mysql-test/main/ps.test b/mysql-test/main/ps.test
index 2ccfac3c119..87cae7211a4 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/ps.test
+++ b/mysql-test/main/ps.test
@@ -5116,3 +5116,38 @@ EXECUTE stmt USING 'b';
 EXECUTE stmt USING 'd';
 EXECUTE stmt USING 'd';
 DROP TABLE t1, t2, t3;
+
+set @@max_session_mem_used=default;
+create table t (a varchar(10)) character set utf8;
+insert into t values ('');
+prepare stmt from "select 1 from t where a = ?";
+set @@max_session_mem_used=(select memory_used*2 from information_schema.processlist where id=connection_id());
+let $run= 1000;
+disable_result_log;
+disable_query_log;
+while ($run) {
+  execute stmt using repeat('x',10000);
+  dec $run;
+}
+enable_result_log;
+enable_query_log;
+deallocate prepare stmt;
+drop table t;
+set @@max_session_mem_used=default;
+
+create table t (a varchar(10)) character set utf8;
+insert into t values ('');
+prepare stmt from "select 1 from t where a = 'a'";
+set @@max_session_mem_used=(select memory_used*2 from information_schema.processlist where id=connection_id());
+let $run= 1000;
+disable_result_log;
+disable_query_log;
+while ($run) {
+  execute stmt;
+  dec $run;
+}
+enable_result_log;
+enable_query_log;
+deallocate prepare stmt;
+drop table t;
+set @@max_session_mem_used=default;
diff --git a/sql/item.cc b/sql/item.cc
index 757f09dec01..03e6ffb5715 100644
--- a/sql/item.cc
+++ b/sql/item.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
                                        // find_item_in_list,
                                        // RESOLVED_AGAINST_ALIAS, ...
 #include "sql_expression_cache.h"
+#include "sql_lex.h"                   // empty_clex_str
 
 const String my_null_string("NULL", 4, default_charset_info);
 const String my_default_string("DEFAULT", 7, default_charset_info);
@@ -1401,13 +1402,11 @@ Item *Item_cache::safe_charset_converter(THD *thd, CHARSET_INFO *tocs)
   Item *conv= example->safe_charset_converter(thd, tocs);
   if (conv == example)
     return this;
-  Item_cache *cache;
-  if (!conv || conv->fix_fields(thd, (Item **) NULL) ||
-      unlikely(!(cache= new (thd->mem_root) Item_cache_str(thd, conv))))
+  if (!conv || conv->fix_fields(thd, (Item **) NULL))
     return NULL; // Safe conversion is not possible, or OEM
-  cache->setup(thd, conv);
-  cache->fixed= false; // Make Item::fix_fields() happy
-  return cache;
+  setup(thd, conv);
+  thd->change_item_tree(&example, conv);
+  return this;
 }
 
 
@@ -2782,7 +2781,6 @@ bool Type_std_attributes::agg_item_set_converter(const DTCollation &coll,
     safe_args[1]= args[item_sep];
   }
 
-  bool res= FALSE;
   uint i;
 
   DBUG_ASSERT(!thd->stmt_arena->is_stmt_prepare());
@@ -2802,19 +2800,31 @@ bool Type_std_attributes::agg_item_set_converter(const DTCollation &coll,
         args[item_sep]= safe_args[1];
       }
       my_coll_agg_error(args, nargs, fname, item_sep);
-      res= TRUE;
-      break; // we cannot return here, we need to restore "arena".
+      return TRUE;
     }
 
-    thd->change_item_tree(arg, conv);
-
     if (conv->fix_fields(thd, arg))
+      return TRUE;
+
+    Query_arena *arena, backup;
+    arena= thd->activate_stmt_arena_if_needed(&backup);
+    if (arena)
     {
-      res= TRUE;
-      break; // we cannot return here, we need to restore "arena".
+      Item_direct_ref_to_item *ref=
+        new (thd->mem_root) Item_direct_ref_to_item(thd, *arg);
+      if ((ref == NULL) || ref->fix_fields(thd, (Item **)&ref))
+      {
+        thd->restore_active_arena(arena, &backup);
+        return TRUE;
+      }
+      *arg= ref;
+      thd->restore_active_arena(arena, &backup);
+      ref->change_item(thd, conv);
     }
+    else
+      thd->change_item_tree(arg, conv);
   }
-  return res;
+  return FALSE;
 }
 
 
@@ -10952,3 +10962,45 @@ void Item::register_in(THD *thd)
   next= thd->free_list;
   thd->free_list= this;
 }
+
+
+Item_direct_ref_to_item::Item_direct_ref_to_item(THD *thd, Item *item)
+: Item_direct_ref(thd, NULL, NULL, "", &empty_clex_str, FALSE)
+{
+  m_item= item;
+  ref= (Item**)&m_item;
+}
+
+bool Item_direct_ref_to_item::fix_fields(THD *thd, Item **)
+{
+  DBUG_ASSERT(m_item != NULL);
+  if (m_item->fix_fields_if_needed_for_scalar(thd, ref))
+    return TRUE;
+  set_properties();
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
+void Item_direct_ref_to_item::print(String *str, enum_query_type query_type)
+{
+  m_item->print(str, query_type);
+}
+
+Item *Item_direct_ref_to_item::safe_charset_converter(THD *thd,
+                                                      CHARSET_INFO *tocs)
+{
+  Item *conv= m_item->safe_charset_converter(thd, tocs);
+  if (conv != m_item)
+  {
+    if (conv== NULL || conv->fix_fields(thd, &conv))
+      return NULL;
+    change_item(thd, conv);
+  }
+  return this;
+}
+
+void Item_direct_ref_to_item::change_item(THD *thd, Item *i)
+{
+  DBUG_ASSERT(i->fixed);
+  thd->change_item_tree(ref, i);
+  set_properties();
+}
diff --git a/sql/item.h b/sql/item.h
index ec87a3fb812..e0bcaf41eac 100644
--- a/sql/item.h
+++ b/sql/item.h
@@ -6890,4 +6890,97 @@ inline void Virtual_column_info::print(String* str)
   expr->print_for_table_def(str);
 }
 
+class Item_direct_ref_to_item : public Item_direct_ref
+{
+  Item *m_item;
+public:
+  Item_direct_ref_to_item(THD *thd, Item *item);
+
+  void change_item(THD *thd, Item *);
+
+  bool fix_fields(THD *thd, Item **it);
+
+  void print(String *str, enum_query_type query_type);
+
+  Item *safe_charset_converter(THD *thd, CHARSET_INFO *tocs);
+  Item *get_tmp_table_item(THD *thd)
+  { return m_item->get_tmp_table_item(thd); }
+  Item *get_copy(THD *thd)
+  { return m_item->get_copy(thd); }
+  COND *build_equal_items(THD *thd, COND_EQUAL *inherited,
+                          bool link_item_fields,
+                          COND_EQUAL **cond_equal_ref)
+  {
+    return m_item->build_equal_items(thd, inherited, link_item_fields,
+                                     cond_equal_ref);
+  }
+  const char *full_name() const { return m_item->full_name(); }
+  void make_send_field(THD *thd, Send_field *field)
+  { m_item->make_send_field(thd, field); }
+  bool eq(const Item *item, bool binary_cmp) const
+  {
+    Item *it= ((Item *) item)->real_item();
+    return m_item->eq(it, binary_cmp);
+  }
+  void fix_after_pullout(st_select_lex *new_parent, Item **refptr, bool merge)
+  { m_item->fix_after_pullout(new_parent, &m_item, merge); }
+  void save_val(Field *to)
+  { return m_item->save_val(to); }
+  void save_result(Field *to)
+  { return m_item->save_result(to); }
+  int save_in_field(Field *to, bool no_conversions)
+  { return m_item->save_in_field(to, no_conversions); }
+  const Type_handler *type_handler() const { return m_item->type_handler(); }
+  table_map used_tables() const { return m_item->used_tables(); }
+  void update_used_tables()
+  { m_item->update_used_tables(); }
+  bool const_item() const { return m_item->const_item(); }
+  table_map not_null_tables() const { return m_item->not_null_tables(); }
+  bool walk(Item_processor processor, bool walk_subquery, void *arg)
+  {
+    return m_item->walk(processor, walk_subquery, arg) ||
+      (this->*processor)(arg);
+  }
+  bool enumerate_field_refs_processor(void *arg)
+  { return m_item->enumerate_field_refs_processor(arg); }
+  Item_field *field_for_view_update()
+  { return m_item->field_for_view_update(); }
+
+  /* Row emulation: forwarding of ROW-related calls to orig_item */
+  uint cols() const
+  { return m_item->cols(); }
+  Item* element_index(uint i)
+  { return this; }
+  Item** addr(uint i)
+  { return  &m_item; }
+  bool check_cols(uint c)
+  { return Item::check_cols(c); }
+  bool null_inside()
+  { return m_item->null_inside(); }
+  void bring_value()
+  {}
+
+  Item_equal *get_item_equal() { return m_item->get_item_equal(); }
+  void set_item_equal(Item_equal *item_eq) { m_item->set_item_equal(item_eq); }
+  Item_equal *find_item_equal(COND_EQUAL *cond_equal)
+  { return m_item->find_item_equal(cond_equal); }
+  Item *propagate_equal_fields(THD *thd, const Context &ctx, COND_EQUAL *cond)
+  { return m_item->propagate_equal_fields(thd, ctx, cond); }
+  Item *replace_equal_field(THD *thd, uchar *arg)
+  { return m_item->replace_equal_field(thd, arg); }
+
+  bool excl_dep_on_table(table_map tab_map)
+  { return m_item->excl_dep_on_table(tab_map); }
+  bool excl_dep_on_grouping_fields(st_select_lex *sel)
+  { return m_item->excl_dep_on_grouping_fields(sel); }
+  bool is_expensive() { return m_item->is_expensive(); }
+  Item* build_clone(THD *thd) { return get_copy(thd); }
+
+  /*
+    This processor states that this is safe for virtual columns
+    (because this Item transparency)
+  */
+  bool check_vcol_func_processor(void *arg) { return FALSE;}
+};
+
 #endif /* SQL_ITEM_INCLUDED */
diff --git a/sql/sql_tvc.cc b/sql/sql_tvc.cc
index 43c25db5097..b2e9df2d745 100644
--- a/sql/sql_tvc.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_tvc.cc
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ bool Item_func_in::create_value_list_for_tvc(THD *thd,
 
     if (is_list_of_rows)
     {
-      Item_row *row_list= (Item_row *)(args[i]->build_clone(thd));
+      Item_row *row_list= (Item_row *)(args[i]);
 
       if (!row_list)
         return true;
@@ -564,8 +564,7 @@ bool Item_func_in::create_value_list_for_tvc(THD *thd,
         sprintf(col_name, "_col_%i", 1);
         args[i]->set_name(thd, col_name, strlen(col_name), thd->charset());
       }
-      Item *arg_clone= args[i]->build_clone(thd);
-      if (!arg_clone || tvc_value->push_back(arg_clone))
+      if (tvc_value->push_back(args[i]))
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/sql/table.cc b/sql/table.cc
index ec49241dd7a..a1ee2f3b8b3 100644
--- a/sql/table.cc
+++ b/sql/table.cc
@@ -3010,7 +3010,7 @@ class Vcol_expr_context
   bool inited;
   THD *thd;
   TABLE *table;
-  Query_arena backup_arena;
+  Query_arena backup_arena, *stmt_arena;
   table_map old_map;
   Security_context *save_security_ctx;
   sql_mode_t save_sql_mode;
@@ -3020,6 +3020,7 @@ public:
     inited(false),
     thd(_thd),
     table(_table),
+    stmt_arena(thd->stmt_arena),
     old_map(table->map),
     save_security_ctx(thd->security_ctx),
     save_sql_mode(thd->variables.sql_mode) {}
@@ -3040,6 +3041,7 @@ bool Vcol_expr_context::init()
     thd->security_ctx= tl->security_ctx;
 
   thd->set_n_backup_active_arena(table->expr_arena, &backup_arena);
+  thd->stmt_arena= thd;
 
   inited= true;
   return false;
@@ -3053,6 +3055,7 @@ Vcol_expr_context::~Vcol_expr_context()
   thd->security_ctx= save_security_ctx;
   thd->restore_active_arena(table->expr_arena, &backup_arena);
   thd->variables.sql_mode= save_sql_mode;
+  thd->stmt_arena= stmt_arena;
 }