diff --git a/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_init.c b/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_init.c
index b44e01f1c2..728ee01693 100644
--- a/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_init.c
+++ b/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_init.c
@@ -982,7 +982,7 @@ static apr_status_t ssl_init_server_certs(server_rec *s,
 #ifdef HAVE_ECC
     EC_GROUP *ecparams;
     int nid;
-    EC_KEY *eckey;
+    EC_KEY *eckey = NULL;
 #endif
 #ifndef HAVE_SSL_CONF_CMD
     SSL *ssl;
@@ -1151,10 +1151,11 @@ static apr_status_t ssl_init_server_certs(server_rec *s,
 #if defined(SSL_CTX_set_ecdh_auto)
         SSL_CTX_set_ecdh_auto(mctx->ssl_ctx, 1);
 #else
-        SSL_CTX_set_tmp_ecdh(mctx->ssl_ctx,
-                             EC_KEY_new_by_curve_name(NID_X9_62_prime256v1));
+        eckey = EC_KEY_new_by_curve_name(NID_X9_62_prime256v1);
+        SSL_CTX_set_tmp_ecdh(mctx->ssl_ctx, eckey);
 #endif
     }
+    EC_KEY_free(eckey);
 #endif
 
     return APR_SUCCESS;