diff --git a/src/esx/esx_driver.c b/src/esx/esx_driver.c
index 227e6a950ff34f30a3137f32326baef82b646e63..6f3ebcbe537debea5f82afd543cebbe721de402c 100644
--- a/src/esx/esx_driver.c
+++ b/src/esx/esx_driver.c
@@ -475,11 +475,18 @@ esxOpen(virConnectPtr conn, virConnectAuthPtr auth, int flags ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
     }
 
     /* Login to vCenter */
-    if (vCenter != NULL) {
+    if (parsedQuery->vCenter != NULL) {
         VIR_FREE(url);
         VIR_FREE(password);
         VIR_FREE(username);
 
+        vCenter = strdup(parsedQuery->vCenter);
+
+        if (vCenter == NULL) {
+            virReportOOMError();
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+
         /* If a vCenter is specified resolve the hostname */
         if (STRNEQ(vCenter, "*") &&
             esxUtil_ResolveHostname(vCenter, vCenterIpAddress,