diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/sssd.c b/plugins/sudoers/sssd.c
index c6725cfa8..195748224 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/sssd.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/sssd.c
@@ -481,6 +481,7 @@ sudo_sss_close(struct sudo_nss *nss)
 	handle = nss->handle;
 	sudo_dso_unload(handle->ssslib);
 	free(nss->handle);
+	nss->handle = NULL;
     }
     debug_return_int(0);
 }