diff --git a/db/db_base.cpp b/db/db_base.cpp
index c527345671..05bcd44727 100644
--- a/db/db_base.cpp
+++ b/db/db_base.cpp
@@ -85,10 +85,14 @@ int DB_CONN::open(
     // CLIENT_FOUND_ROWS means that the # of affected rows for an update
     // is the # matched by the where, rather than the # actually changed
     //
-    mysql = mysql_real_connect(
+    MYSQL* mysql2 = mysql_real_connect(
         mysql, host, db_user, dbpassword, db_name, port, 0, CLIENT_FOUND_ROWS
     );
-    if (mysql == 0) return ERR_DB_CANT_CONNECT;
+    if (mysql2 == 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "mysql_real_connect(): %d: %s\n", mysql_errno(mysql), mysql_error(mysql));
+        return ERR_DB_CANT_CONNECT;
+    }
+    mysql = mysql2;
 
     if (set_opt_after) {
         bool mbReconnect = 1;