diff --git a/src/java/com/wolfssl/WolfSSLCertificate.java b/src/java/com/wolfssl/WolfSSLCertificate.java
index c1a3a3ad..47ba8dbe 100644
--- a/src/java/com/wolfssl/WolfSSLCertificate.java
+++ b/src/java/com/wolfssl/WolfSSLCertificate.java
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ public class WolfSSLCertificate {
     private boolean active = false;
     private long x509Ptr = 0;
 
+    /* Does this WolfSSLCertificate own the internal WOLFSSL_X509 pointer?
+     * If not, don't try to free native memory on free(). */
+    private boolean weOwnX509Ptr = false;
+
     /* lock around active state */
     private static final Object stateLock = new Object();
 
@@ -101,6 +105,9 @@ public WolfSSLCertificate(byte[] der) throws WolfSSLException {
             throw new WolfSSLException("Failed to create WolfSSLCertificate");
         }
 
+        /* x509Ptr has been allocated natively, mark as owned */
+        this.weOwnX509Ptr = true;
+
         synchronized (stateLock) {
             this.active = true;
         }
@@ -136,6 +143,9 @@ public WolfSSLCertificate(byte[] in, int format) throws WolfSSLException {
             throw new WolfSSLException("Failed to create WolfSSLCertificate");
         }
 
+        /* x509Ptr has been allocated natively, mark as owned */
+        this.weOwnX509Ptr = true;
+
         synchronized (stateLock) {
             this.active = true;
         }
@@ -161,6 +171,9 @@ public WolfSSLCertificate(String fileName) throws WolfSSLException {
             throw new WolfSSLException("Failed to create WolfSSLCertificate");
         }
 
+        /* x509Ptr has been allocated natively, mark as owned */
+        this.weOwnX509Ptr = true;
+
         synchronized (stateLock) {
             this.active = true;
         }
@@ -197,6 +210,9 @@ public WolfSSLCertificate(String fileName, int format)
             throw new WolfSSLException("Failed to create WolfSSLCertificate");
         }
 
+        /* x509Ptr has been allocated natively, mark as owned */
+        this.weOwnX509Ptr = true;
+
         synchronized (stateLock) {
             this.active = true;
         }
@@ -216,6 +232,10 @@ public WolfSSLCertificate(long x509) throws WolfSSLException {
         }
         x509Ptr = x509;
 
+        /* x509Ptr has NOT been allocated natively, do not mark as owned.
+         * Original owner is responsible for freeing. */
+        this.weOwnX509Ptr = false;
+
         synchronized (stateLock) {
             this.active = true;
         }
@@ -698,8 +718,11 @@ public synchronized void free() throws IllegalStateException {
             /* set this.altNames to null so GC can free */
             this.altNames = null;
 
-            /* free native resources */
-            X509_free(this.x509Ptr);
+            /* only free native resources if we own pointer */
+            if (this.weOwnX509Ptr == true) {
+                /* free native resources */
+                X509_free(this.x509Ptr);
+            }
 
             /* free Java resources */
             this.active = false;