diff --git a/libmysql/libmysql.c b/libmysql/libmysql.c
index c50193c5e2c..a0a4a26d971 100644
--- a/libmysql/libmysql.c
+++ b/libmysql/libmysql.c
@@ -1358,7 +1358,8 @@ mysql_real_connect(MYSQL *mysql,const char *host, const char *user,
 	my_gethostbyname_r_free();
 	goto error;
       }
-      memcpy(&sock_addr.sin_addr,hp->h_addr, (size_t) hp->h_length);
+      memcpy(&sock_addr.sin_addr, hp->h_addr,
+             min(sizeof(sock_addr.sin_addr), (size_t) hp->h_length));
       my_gethostbyname_r_free();
     }
     sock_addr.sin_port = (ushort) htons((ushort) port);