diff --git a/lib/vtls/openssl.c b/lib/vtls/openssl.c
index 48a4c0b022..eb625fe93d 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/openssl.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/openssl.c
@@ -493,23 +493,21 @@ int cert_stuff(struct connectdata *conn,
           /*
            * Note that sk_X509_pop() is used below to make sure the cert is
            * removed from the stack properly before getting passed to
-           * SSL_CTX_add_extra_chain_cert(). Previously we used
-           * sk_X509_value() instead, but then we'd clean it in the subsequent
-           * sk_X509_pop_free() call.
+           * SSL_CTX_add_extra_chain_cert(), which takes ownership. Previously
+           * we used sk_X509_value() instead, but then we'd clean it in the
+           * subsequent sk_X509_pop_free() call.
            */
           X509 *x = sk_X509_pop(ca);
+          if(!SSL_CTX_add_client_CA(ctx, x)) {
+            X509_free(x);
+            failf(data, "cannot add certificate to client CA list");
+            goto fail;
+          }
           if(!SSL_CTX_add_extra_chain_cert(ctx, x)) {
             X509_free(x);
             failf(data, "cannot add certificate to certificate chain");
             goto fail;
           }
-          /* SSL_CTX_add_client_CA() seems to work with either sk_* function,
-           * presumably because it duplicates what we pass to it.
-           */
-          if(!SSL_CTX_add_client_CA(ctx, x)) {
-            failf(data, "cannot add certificate to client CA list");
-            goto fail;
-          }
         }
       }