diff --git a/ext/mysqli/tests/mysqli_real_connect_retry_attr.phpt b/ext/mysqli/tests/mysqli_real_connect_retry_attr.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7f7731807428
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/mysqli/tests/mysqli_real_connect_retry_attr.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+--TEST--
+mysqli_real_connect() retry on same handle does not corrupt mysqlnd connect_attr
+--EXTENSIONS--
+mysqli
+--SKIPIF--
+<?php
+require_once 'skipifconnectfailure.inc';
+?>
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+require 'connect.inc';
+
+$link = mysqli_init();
+@mysqli_real_connect($link, $host, $user, 'bogus_password_to_force_failure', $db, $port, $socket);
+
+if (!mysqli_real_connect($link, $host, $user, $passwd, $db, $port, $socket)) {
+    printf("[001] [%d] %s\n", mysqli_connect_errno(), mysqli_connect_error());
+}
+
+mysqli_close($link);
+
+print "done!";
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+done!
diff --git a/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_connection.c b/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_connection.c
index 2f09ac5ee837..2402ad6fc8f4 100644
--- a/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_connection.c
+++ b/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_connection.c
@@ -1572,17 +1572,14 @@ MYSQLND_METHOD(mysqlnd_conn_data, set_client_option_2d)(MYSQLND_CONN_DATA * cons
 				zval attrz;
 				zend_string *str;
 
+				str = zend_string_init(key, strlen(key), conn->persistent);
+				ZVAL_NEW_STR(&attrz, zend_string_init(value, strlen(value), conn->persistent));
 				if (conn->persistent) {
-					str = zend_string_init(key, strlen(key), 1);
 					GC_MAKE_PERSISTENT_LOCAL(str);
-					ZVAL_NEW_STR(&attrz, zend_string_init(value, strlen(value), 1));
 					GC_MAKE_PERSISTENT_LOCAL(Z_COUNTED(attrz));
-				} else {
-					str = zend_string_init(key, strlen(key), 0);
-					ZVAL_NEW_STR(&attrz, zend_string_init(value, strlen(value), 0));
 				}
 				zend_hash_update(conn->options->connect_attr, str, &attrz);
-				zend_string_release_ex(str, 1);
+				zend_string_release_ex(str, conn->persistent);
 			}
 			break;
 		default: