rs->sr_err = meta_back_bind_op_result( op, rs, mc, candidate, msgid, sendok );
 
                /* if bind succeeded, but anonymous, clear msc_bound_ndn */
-               if ( rs->sr_err == LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
-                       if ( binddn[0] == '\0' &&
-                               !BER_BVISNULL( &msc->msc_bound_ndn ) && 
-                               !BER_BVISEMPTY( &msc->msc_bound_ndn ) )
-                       {
+               if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS || binddn[0] == '\0' ) {
+                       if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &msc->msc_bound_ndn ) ) {
                                ber_memfree( msc->msc_bound_ndn.bv_val );
                                BER_BVZERO( &msc->msc_bound_ndn );
                        }
+
+                       if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &msc->msc_cred ) ) {
+                               memset( msc->msc_cred.bv_val, 0, msc->msc_cred.bv_len );
+                               ber_memfree( msc->msc_cred.bv_val );
+                               BER_BVZERO( &msc->msc_cred );
+                       }
                }
        }
 
 
                rc = meta_back_init_one_conn( op, rs, mc, candidate,
                        LDAP_BACK_CONN_ISPRIV( mc ), sendok, 0 );
 
-               /* restore credentials, if any;
+               /* restore credentials, if any and if needed;
                 * meta_back_init_one_conn() restores msc_bound_ndn, if any;
                 * if no msc_bound_ndn is restored, destroy credentials */
-               if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &msc->msc_bound_ndn ) ) {
+               if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &msc->msc_bound_ndn )
+                       && BER_BVISNULL( &msc->msc_cred ) )
+               {
                        msc->msc_cred = save_cred;
 
                } else if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &save_cred ) ) {
                        memset( save_cred.bv_val, 0, save_cred.bv_len );
-                       ber_memfree( save_cred.bv_val );
+                       ber_memfree_x( save_cred.bv_val, NULL );
                }
 
                /* restore the "binding" flag, in case */