diff --git a/server/modules/monitor/mysqlmon/mysql_mon.c b/server/modules/monitor/mysqlmon/mysql_mon.c
index 98130fd19..4e30c5cfe 100644
--- a/server/modules/monitor/mysqlmon/mysql_mon.c
+++ b/server/modules/monitor/mysqlmon/mysql_mon.c
@@ -1433,6 +1433,8 @@ static void set_master_heartbeat(MYSQL_MONITOR *handle, MONITOR_SERVERS *databas
     time_t purge_time;
     char heartbeat_insert_query[512] = "";
     char heartbeat_purge_query[512] = "";
+    MYSQL_RES *result;
+    long returned_rows;
 
     if (handle->master == NULL)
     {
@@ -1440,14 +1442,26 @@ static void set_master_heartbeat(MYSQL_MONITOR *handle, MONITOR_SERVERS *databas
         return;
     }
 
-    /* create the maxscale_schema database */
+    /* check if the maxscale_schema database and replication_heartbeat table exist */
     if (mysql_query(database->con, "SELECT table_name FROM information_schema.tables WHERE table_schema = 'maxscale_schema' AND table_name = 'replication_heartbeat'")) {
         MXS_ERROR( "[mysql_mon]: Error checking for replication_heartbeat in Master server"
                 ": %s", mysql_error(database->con));
         database->server->rlag = -1;
     }
-        
-    if (0 == mysql_num_rows(mysql_store_result(database->con)))
+    
+    result = mysql_store_result(database->con);
+    
+    if (result == NULL)
+    {
+        returned_rows = 0;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        returned_rows = mysql_num_rows(result);
+        mysql_free_result(result);
+    }
+    
+    if (0 == returned_rows)
     {
         /* create repl_heartbeat table in maxscale_schema database */
         if (mysql_query(database->con, "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "