diff --git a/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_vars.c b/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_vars.c
index 3c5934f554..17b5e82653 100644
--- a/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_vars.c
+++ b/modules/ssl/ssl_engine_vars.c
@@ -552,8 +552,10 @@ static char *ssl_var_lookup_ssl_cipher(apr_pool_t *p, conn_rec *c, char *var)
     ssl = sslconn->ssl;
     ssl_var_lookup_ssl_cipher_bits(ssl, &usekeysize, &algkeysize);
 
-    if (strEQ(var, ""))
-        result = (ssl != NULL ? (char *)SSL_get_cipher_name(ssl) : NULL);
+    if (ssl && strEQ(var, "")) {
+        SSL_CIPHER *cipher = SSL_get_current_cipher(ssl);
+        result = (cipher != NULL ? (char *)SSL_CIPHER_get_name(cipher) : NULL);
+    }
     else if (strcEQ(var, "_EXPORT"))
         result = (usekeysize < 56 ? "true" : "false");
     else if (strcEQ(var, "_USEKEYSIZE")) {