diff --git a/src/openssl.c b/src/openssl.c
index d4cf401..d5ad702 100644
--- a/src/openssl.c
+++ b/src/openssl.c
@@ -433,6 +433,12 @@ _libssh2_cipher_crypt(_libssh2_cipher_ctx * ctx,
     return ret == 1 ? 0 : 1;
 }
 
+#ifndef HAVE_EVP_AES_128_CTR
+static EVP_CIPHER * aes_128_ctr_cipher = NULL;
+static EVP_CIPHER * aes_192_ctr_cipher = NULL;
+static EVP_CIPHER * aes_256_ctr_cipher = NULL;
+#endif
+
 #if LIBSSH2_AES_CTR && !defined(HAVE_EVP_AES_128_CTR)
 
 #include <openssl/aes.h>
@@ -589,12 +595,14 @@ const EVP_CIPHER *
 _libssh2_EVP_aes_128_ctr(void)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_OPAQUE_STRUCTS
-    EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher;
-    return make_ctr_evp(16, &aes_ctr_cipher, NID_aes_128_ctr);
+    return !aes_128_ctr_cipher ?
+        make_ctr_evp(16, &aes_128_ctr_cipher, NID_aes_128_ctr) :
+        aes_128_ctr_cipher;
 #else
     static EVP_CIPHER aes_ctr_cipher;
-    EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher_ptr = &aes_ctr_cipher;
-    return make_ctr_evp(16, &aes_ctr_cipher_ptr, 0);
+    static EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher_ptr = &aes_ctr_cipher;
+    return !aes_ctr_cipher.key_len ?
+        make_ctr_evp(16, &aes_ctr_cipher_ptr, 0) : &aes_ctr_cipher;
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -602,12 +610,14 @@ const EVP_CIPHER *
 _libssh2_EVP_aes_192_ctr(void)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_OPAQUE_STRUCTS
-    EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher;
-    return make_ctr_evp(24, &aes_ctr_cipher, NID_aes_192_ctr);
+    return !aes_192_ctr_cipher ?
+        make_ctr_evp(24, &aes_192_ctr_cipher, NID_aes_192_ctr) :
+        aes_192_ctr_cipher;
 #else
     static EVP_CIPHER aes_ctr_cipher;
-    EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher_ptr = &aes_ctr_cipher;
-    return make_ctr_evp(24, &aes_ctr_cipher_ptr, 0);
+    static EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher_ptr = &aes_ctr_cipher;
+    return !aes_ctr_cipher.key_len ?
+        make_ctr_evp(24, &aes_ctr_cipher_ptr, 0) : &aes_ctr_cipher;
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -615,23 +625,19 @@ const EVP_CIPHER *
 _libssh2_EVP_aes_256_ctr(void)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_OPAQUE_STRUCTS
-    EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher;
-    return make_ctr_evp(32, &aes_ctr_cipher, NID_aes_256_ctr);
+    return !aes_256_ctr_cipher ?
+        make_ctr_evp(32, &aes_256_ctr_cipher, NID_aes_256_ctr) :
+        aes_256_ctr_cipher;
 #else
     static EVP_CIPHER aes_ctr_cipher;
-    EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher_ptr = &aes_ctr_cipher;
-    return make_ctr_evp(32, &aes_ctr_cipher_ptr, 0);
+    static EVP_CIPHER * aes_ctr_cipher_ptr = &aes_ctr_cipher;
+    return !aes_ctr_cipher.key_len ?
+        make_ctr_evp(32, &aes_ctr_cipher_ptr, 0) : &aes_ctr_cipher;
 #endif
 }
 
 #endif /* LIBSSH2_AES_CTR */
 
-#ifndef HAVE_EVP_AES_128_CTR
-static EVP_CIPHER * aes_128_ctr_cipher = NULL;
-static EVP_CIPHER * aes_192_ctr_cipher = NULL;
-static EVP_CIPHER * aes_256_ctr_cipher = NULL;
-#endif
-
 void _libssh2_openssl_crypto_init(void)
 {
 #if OPENSSL_VERSION_NUMBER >= 0x10100000L && \
@@ -650,11 +656,8 @@ void _libssh2_openssl_crypto_init(void)
 #endif
 #endif
 #ifndef HAVE_EVP_AES_128_CTR
-    if(!aes_128_ctr_cipher)
         aes_128_ctr_cipher = (EVP_CIPHER *) _libssh2_EVP_aes_128_ctr();
-    if(!aes_192_ctr_cipher)
         aes_192_ctr_cipher = (EVP_CIPHER *) _libssh2_EVP_aes_192_ctr();
-    if(!aes_256_ctr_cipher)
         aes_256_ctr_cipher = (EVP_CIPHER *) _libssh2_EVP_aes_256_ctr();
 #endif
 }