diff --git a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java
index 7869cb7791..1d934c11b2 100644
--- a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java
+++ b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java
@@ -555,7 +555,9 @@ public final class OpenSsl {
 
     static long memoryAddress(ByteBuf buf) {
         assert buf.isDirect();
-        return buf.hasMemoryAddress() ? buf.memoryAddress() : Buffer.address(buf.nioBuffer());
+        return buf.hasMemoryAddress() ? buf.memoryAddress() :
+                // Use internalNioBuffer to reduce object creation.
+                Buffer.address(buf.internalNioBuffer(0, buf.readableBytes()));
     }
 
     private OpenSsl() { }