diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 244c2df19cd..ab24c4401d3 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ PHP                                                                        NEWS
   . Fixed bug GH-10521 (ftp_get/ftp_nb_get resumepos offset is maximum 10GB).
     (nielsdos)
 
+- MySQLnd:
+  . Fixed bug GH-8979 (Possible Memory Leak with SSL-enabled MySQL
+    connections). (nielsdos)
+
 - Opcache:
   . Fixed build for macOS to cater with pkg-config settings. (David Carlier)
   . Fixed bug GH-8065 (opcache.consistency_checks > 0 causes segfaults in
diff --git a/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_vio.c b/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_vio.c
index e2194bca136..2bd77906a1b 100644
--- a/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_vio.c
+++ b/ext/mysqlnd/mysqlnd_vio.c
@@ -561,6 +561,10 @@ MYSQLND_METHOD(mysqlnd_vio, enable_ssl)(MYSQLND_VIO * const net)
 		}
 	}
 	php_stream_context_set(net_stream, context);
+	/* php_stream_context_set() increases the refcount of context, but we just want to transfer ownership
+	 * hence the need to decrease the refcount so the refcount will be equal to 1. */
+	ZEND_ASSERT(GC_REFCOUNT(context->res) == 2);
+	GC_DELREF(context->res);
 	if (php_stream_xport_crypto_setup(net_stream, STREAM_CRYPTO_METHOD_TLS_CLIENT, NULL) < 0 ||
 	    php_stream_xport_crypto_enable(net_stream, 1) < 0)
 	{