diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-meta/conn.c b/servers/slapd/back-meta/conn.c
index a32ddabd1b7575c48f2febcd88d9685ab5500b4f..22cadb7000a1d33ba471fbeeca293f0a2cb9d518 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-meta/conn.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-meta/conn.c
@@ -436,7 +436,10 @@ retry_lock:;
 		bindconf_tls_set( sb, msc->msc_ld );
 
 		if ( !is_ldaps ) {
-			if ( META_BACK_TGT_USE_TLS( mt )
+			if ( sb == &mt->mt_idassert.si_bc && sb->sb_tls_ctx ) {
+				do_start_tls = 1;
+
+			} else if ( META_BACK_TGT_USE_TLS( mt )
 				|| ( op->o_conn->c_is_tls && META_BACK_TGT_PROPAGATE_TLS( mt ) ) )
 			{
 				do_start_tls = 1;