diff --git a/client/mysqlbinlog.cc b/client/mysqlbinlog.cc
index f55dc75df5d..68846136431 100644
--- a/client/mysqlbinlog.cc
+++ b/client/mysqlbinlog.cc
@@ -1378,6 +1378,10 @@ static int parse_args(int *argc, char*** argv)
 */
 static Exit_status safe_connect()
 {
+  /* Close and old connections to MySQL */
+  if (mysql)
+    mysql_close(mysql);
+
   mysql= mysql_init(NULL);
 
   if (!mysql)