diff --git a/src/backend/libpq/be-secure-openssl.c b/src/backend/libpq/be-secure-openssl.c
index 1b659a58703..e987c436476 100644
--- a/src/backend/libpq/be-secure-openssl.c
+++ b/src/backend/libpq/be-secure-openssl.c
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ static bool ssl_is_server_start;
 int
 be_tls_init(bool isServerStart)
 {
-	STACK_OF(X509_NAME) *root_cert_list = NULL;
 	SSL_CTX    *context;
 
 	/* This stuff need be done only once. */
@@ -92,6 +91,10 @@ be_tls_init(bool isServerStart)
 	}
 
 	/*
+	 * Create a new SSL context into which we'll load all the configuration
+	 * settings.  If we fail partway through, we can avoid memory leakage by
+	 * freeing this context; we don't install it as active until the end.
+	 *
 	 * We use SSLv23_method() because it can negotiate use of the highest
 	 * mutually supported protocol version, while alternatives like
 	 * TLSv1_2_method() permit only one specific version.  Note that we don't
@@ -218,6 +221,8 @@ be_tls_init(bool isServerStart)
 	 */
 	if (ssl_ca_file[0])
 	{
+		STACK_OF(X509_NAME) * root_cert_list;
+
 		if (SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(context, ssl_ca_file, NULL) != 1 ||
 			(root_cert_list = SSL_load_client_CA_file(ssl_ca_file)) == NULL)
 		{
@@ -227,6 +232,25 @@ be_tls_init(bool isServerStart)
 							ssl_ca_file, SSLerrmessage(ERR_get_error()))));
 			goto error;
 		}
+
+		/*
+		 * Tell OpenSSL to send the list of root certs we trust to clients in
+		 * CertificateRequests.  This lets a client with a keystore select the
+		 * appropriate client certificate to send to us.  Also, this ensures
+		 * that the SSL context will "own" the root_cert_list and remember to
+		 * free it when no longer needed.
+		 */
+		SSL_CTX_set_client_CA_list(context, root_cert_list);
+
+		/*
+		 * Always ask for SSL client cert, but don't fail if it's not
+		 * presented.  We might fail such connections later, depending on what
+		 * we find in pg_hba.conf.
+		 */
+		SSL_CTX_set_verify(context,
+						   (SSL_VERIFY_PEER |
+							SSL_VERIFY_CLIENT_ONCE),
+						   verify_cb);
 	}
 
 	/*----------
@@ -266,26 +290,6 @@ be_tls_init(bool isServerStart)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (ssl_ca_file[0])
-	{
-		/*
-		 * Always ask for SSL client cert, but don't fail if it's not
-		 * presented.  We might fail such connections later, depending on what
-		 * we find in pg_hba.conf.
-		 */
-		SSL_CTX_set_verify(context,
-						   (SSL_VERIFY_PEER |
-							SSL_VERIFY_CLIENT_ONCE),
-						   verify_cb);
-
-		/*
-		 * Tell OpenSSL to send the list of root certs we trust to clients in
-		 * CertificateRequests.  This lets a client with a keystore select the
-		 * appropriate client certificate to send to us.
-		 */
-		SSL_CTX_set_client_CA_list(context, root_cert_list);
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Success!  Replace any existing SSL_context.
 	 */
@@ -304,6 +308,7 @@ be_tls_init(bool isServerStart)
 
 	return 0;
 
+	/* Clean up by releasing working context. */
 error:
 	if (context)
 		SSL_CTX_free(context);