diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index b08e6f7715..4ba6013fe7 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -6803,9 +6803,35 @@ int SetSSL_CTX(WOLFSSL* ssl, WOLFSSL_CTX* ctx, int writeDup)
 #endif /* HAVE_RPK */
 
 #ifndef NO_CERTS
+#ifdef WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT
+    /* If WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT is defined, always copy the cert */
+    if (ctx->certificate != NULL) {
+        ret = AllocCopyDer(&ssl->buffers.certificate, ctx->certificate->buffer,
+            ctx->certificate->length, ctx->certificate->type,
+            ctx->certificate->heap);
+        if (ret != 0) {
+            return ret;
+        }
+
+        ssl->buffers.weOwnCert = 1;
+        ret = WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
+    }
+    if (ctx->certChain != NULL) {
+        ret = AllocCopyDer(&ssl->buffers.certChain, ctx->certChain->buffer,
+            ctx->certChain->length, ctx->certChain->type,
+            ctx->certChain->heap);
+        if (ret != 0) {
+            return ret;
+        }
+
+        ssl->buffers.weOwnCertChain = 1;
+        ret = WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
+    }
+#else
     /* ctx still owns certificate, certChain, key, dh, and cm */
     ssl->buffers.certificate = ctx->certificate;
     ssl->buffers.certChain = ctx->certChain;
+#endif
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_TLS13
     ssl->buffers.certChainCnt = ctx->certChainCnt;
 #endif
diff --git a/src/ssl.c b/src/ssl.c
index afd505027a..594cc0ceee 100644
--- a/src/ssl.c
+++ b/src/ssl.c
@@ -20151,9 +20151,41 @@ WOLFSSL_CTX* wolfSSL_set_SSL_CTX(WOLFSSL* ssl, WOLFSSL_CTX* ctx)
     ssl->ctx = ctx;
 
 #ifndef NO_CERTS
+#ifdef WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT
+    /* If WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT defined, always make new copy of cert from ctx */
+    if (ctx->certificate != NULL) {
+        if (ssl->buffers.certificate != NULL) {
+            FreeDer(&ssl->buffers.certificate);
+        }
+        ret = AllocCopyDer(&ssl->buffers.certificate, ctx->certificate->buffer,
+            ctx->certificate->length, ctx->certificate->type,
+            ctx->certificate->heap);
+        if (ret != 0) {
+            return NULL;
+        }
+
+        ssl->buffers.weOwnCert = 1;
+        ret = WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
+    }
+    if (ctx->certChain != NULL) {
+        if (ssl->buffers.certChain != NULL) {
+            FreeDer(&ssl->buffers.certChain);
+        }
+        ret = AllocCopyDer(&ssl->buffers.certChain, ctx->certChain->buffer,
+            ctx->certChain->length, ctx->certChain->type,
+            ctx->certChain->heap);
+        if (ret != 0) {
+            return NULL;
+        }
+
+        ssl->buffers.weOwnCertChain = 1;
+        ret = WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
+    }
+#else
     /* ctx owns certificate, certChain and key */
     ssl->buffers.certificate = ctx->certificate;
     ssl->buffers.certChain = ctx->certChain;
+#endif
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_TLS13
     ssl->buffers.certChainCnt = ctx->certChainCnt;
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/api.c b/tests/api.c
index 138f7fcdf9..6dc73cce8f 100644
--- a/tests/api.c
+++ b/tests/api.c
@@ -77500,9 +77500,18 @@ static int test_wolfSSL_set_SSL_CTX(void)
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_SESSION_ID_CTX
     ExpectIntEQ(XMEMCMP(ssl->sessionCtx, session_id2, 4), 0);
 #endif
+#ifdef WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT
+    if (ctx2 != NULL && ctx2->certificate != NULL) {
+        ExpectFalse(ssl->buffers.certificate == ctx2->certificate);
+    }
+    if (ctx2 != NULL && ctx2->certChain != NULL) {
+        ExpectFalse(ssl->buffers.certChain == ctx2->certChain);
+    }
+#else
     ExpectTrue(ssl->buffers.certificate == ctx2->certificate);
     ExpectTrue(ssl->buffers.certChain == ctx2->certChain);
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SESSION_TICKET
     ExpectIntNE((wolfSSL_get_options(ssl) & SSL_OP_NO_TICKET), 0);
@@ -77519,8 +77528,17 @@ static int test_wolfSSL_set_SSL_CTX(void)
 #endif
     /* MUST change */
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_INT_H
+#ifdef WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT
+    if (ctx1 != NULL && ctx1->certificate != NULL) {
+        ExpectFalse(ssl->buffers.certificate == ctx1->certificate);
+    }
+    if (ctx1 != NULL && ctx1->certChain != NULL) {
+        ExpectFalse(ssl->buffers.certChain == ctx1->certChain);
+    }
+#else
     ExpectTrue(ssl->buffers.certificate == ctx1->certificate);
     ExpectTrue(ssl->buffers.certChain == ctx1->certChain);
+#endif
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_SESSION_ID_CTX
     ExpectIntEQ(XMEMCMP(ssl->sessionCtx, session_id1, 4), 0);
 #endif
diff --git a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h
index 4415a8c7ac..ab068cff6b 100644
--- a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h
+++ b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h
@@ -3260,6 +3260,11 @@ extern void uITRON4_free(void *p) ;
     #define KEEP_PEER_CERT
 #endif
 
+#if defined(OPENSSL_ALL) && !defined(WOLFSSL_NO_COPY_CERT)
+    #undef WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT
+    #define WOLFSSL_COPY_CERT
+#endif
+
 /*
  * Keeps the "Finished" messages after a TLS handshake for use as the so-called
  * "tls-unique" channel binding. See comment in internal.h around clientFinished