diff --git a/libraries/WiFiClientSecure/src/ssl_client.cpp b/libraries/WiFiClientSecure/src/ssl_client.cpp
index 0d28e85acae..46f74205044 100644
--- a/libraries/WiFiClientSecure/src/ssl_client.cpp
+++ b/libraries/WiFiClientSecure/src/ssl_client.cpp
@@ -335,8 +335,13 @@ void stop_ssl_socket(sslclient_context *ssl_client, const char *rootCABuff, cons
     mbedtls_ssl_config_free(&ssl_client->ssl_conf);
     mbedtls_ctr_drbg_free(&ssl_client->drbg_ctx);
     mbedtls_entropy_free(&ssl_client->entropy_ctx);
+    
+    // save only interesting field
+    int timeout = ssl_client->handshake_timeout;
     // reset embedded pointers to zero
     memset(ssl_client, 0, sizeof(sslclient_context));
+    
+    ssl_client->handshake_timeout = timeout;
 }