diff --git a/encoding.c b/encoding.c
index d17a53b5..574e1aed 100644
--- a/encoding.c
+++ b/encoding.c
@@ -2853,14 +2853,25 @@ int
 xmlCharEncCloseFunc(xmlCharEncodingHandler *handler) {
     int ret = 0;
     int tofree = 0;
+    int i, handler_in_list = 0;
+
     if (handler == NULL) return(-1);
     if (handler->name == NULL) return(-1);
+    if (handlers != NULL) {
+        for (i = 0;i < nbCharEncodingHandler; i++) {
+            if (handler == handlers[i]) {
+	        handler_in_list = 1;
+		break;
+	    }
+	}
+    }
 #ifdef LIBXML_ICONV_ENABLED
     /*
      * Iconv handlers can be used only once, free the whole block.
      * and the associated icon resources.
      */
-    if ((handler->iconv_out != NULL) || (handler->iconv_in != NULL)) {
+    if ((handler_in_list == 0) &&
+        ((handler->iconv_out != NULL) || (handler->iconv_in != NULL))) {
         tofree = 1;
 	if (handler->iconv_out != NULL) {
 	    if (iconv_close(handler->iconv_out))
@@ -2875,7 +2886,8 @@ xmlCharEncCloseFunc(xmlCharEncodingHandler *handler) {
     }
 #endif /* LIBXML_ICONV_ENABLED */
 #ifdef LIBXML_ICU_ENABLED
-    if ((handler->uconv_out != NULL) || (handler->uconv_in != NULL)) {
+    if ((handler_in_list == 0) &&
+        ((handler->uconv_out != NULL) || (handler->uconv_in != NULL))) {
         tofree = 1;
 	if (handler->uconv_out != NULL) {
 	    closeIcuConverter(handler->uconv_out);