---
name: "libressl-SSL_clear"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libressl"
version: "4.4.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/libressl-SSL_clear"
---

# libressl-SSL\_clear(3)

reset SSL object to allow another connection

## NAME

**SSL\_clear** – reset SSL object to allow another connection

## SYNOPSIS

SSL Library (libssl, -lssl) libcrypto

**#include \<openssl/ssl.h\>**

*int*\

**SSL\_clear**(*SSL \*ssl*);

## DESCRIPTION

Reset *ssl* to allow another connection. All settings (method, ciphers, BIOs) are kept.

**SSL\_clear**() is used to prepare an *SSL* object for a new connection. While all settings are kept, a side effect is the handling of the current SSL session. If a session is still *open*, it is considered bad and will be removed from the session cache, as required by RFC 2246. A session is considered open if SSL\_shutdown(3) was not called for the connection or at least SSL\_set\_shutdown(3) was used to set the SSL\_SENT\_SHUTDOWN state.

If a session was closed cleanly, the session object will be kept and all settings corresponding. This explicitly means that for example the special method used during the session will be kept for the next handshake. So if the session was a TLSv1 session, a *SSL* client object will use a TLSv1 client method for the next handshake and a *SSL* server object will use a TLSv1 server method, even if **TLS\_\*\_method**(*Ns*, *s*) were chosen on startup. This might lead to connection failures (see SSL\_new(3)) for a description of the method's properties.

## RETURN VALUES

The following return values can occur:

- 0

  The **SSL\_clear**() operation could not be performed. Check the error stack to find out the reason.

- 1

  The **SSL\_clear**() operation was successful.

## SEE ALSO

[ssl(3)](/ssl/3.md), SSL\_CTX\_set\_client\_cert\_cb(3), SSL\_CTX\_set\_options(3), SSL\_free(3), SSL\_new(3), SSL\_set\_shutdown(3), SSL\_shutdown(3)

## HISTORY

**SSL\_clear**() first appeared in SSLeay 0.4.5b and has been available since OpenBSD 2.4.

## CAVEATS

**SSL\_clear**() resets the *SSL* object to allow for another connection. The reset operation however keeps several settings of the last sessions (some of these settings were made automatically during the last handshake). It only makes sense for a new connection with the exact same peer that shares these settings, and may fail if that peer changes its settings between connections. Use the sequence SSL\_get\_session(3); SSL\_new(3); SSL\_set\_session(3); SSL\_free(3) instead to avoid such failures (or simply SSL\_free(3); SSL\_new(3) if session reuse is not desired).