diff --git a/ext/mysqli/mysqli_api.c b/ext/mysqli/mysqli_api.c
index be0146dd644..e4d61310b3f 100644
--- a/ext/mysqli/mysqli_api.c
+++ b/ext/mysqli/mysqli_api.c
@@ -1381,9 +1381,9 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(mysqli_info)
 }
 /* }}} */
 
-/* {{{ proto resource mysqli_init(void) U
-   Initialize mysqli and return a resource for use with mysql_real_connect */
-PHP_FUNCTION(mysqli_init)
+
+/* {{{ php_mysqli_init() */
+void php_mysqli_init(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAMETERS)
 {
 	MYSQLI_RESOURCE *mysqli_resource;
 	MY_MYSQL *mysql;
@@ -1420,6 +1420,16 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(mysqli_init)
 }
 /* }}} */
 
+
+/* {{{ proto resource mysqli_init(void) U
+   Initialize mysqli and return a resource for use with mysql_real_connect */
+PHP_FUNCTION(mysqli_init)
+{
+	php_mysqli_init(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAM_PASSTHRU);
+}
+/* }}} */
+
+
 /* {{{ proto mixed mysqli_insert_id(object link) U
    Get the ID generated from the previous INSERT operation */
 PHP_FUNCTION(mysqli_insert_id)
diff --git a/ext/mysqli/mysqli_nonapi.c b/ext/mysqli/mysqli_nonapi.c
index efd433b8a43..7037cdbcb55 100644
--- a/ext/mysqli/mysqli_nonapi.c
+++ b/ext/mysqli/mysqli_nonapi.c
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ void mysqli_common_connect(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAMETERS, zend_bool is_real_conne
 #endif
 
 	if (getThis() && !ZEND_NUM_ARGS() && in_ctor) {
-		RETURN_NULL();
+		php_mysqli_init(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAM_PASSTHRU);
+		return;
 	}
 	hostname = username = dbname = passwd = socket = NULL;
 
diff --git a/ext/mysqli/php_mysqli_structs.h b/ext/mysqli/php_mysqli_structs.h
index 8f400a4e5f3..ea13d790220 100644
--- a/ext/mysqli/php_mysqli_structs.h
+++ b/ext/mysqli/php_mysqli_structs.h
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ extern void php_mysqli_dtor_p_elements(void *data);
 
 extern void php_mysqli_close(MY_MYSQL * mysql, int close_type TSRMLS_DC);
 
+extern void php_mysqli_init(INTERNAL_FUNCTION_PARAMETERS);
+
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SPL
 extern PHPAPI zend_class_entry *spl_ce_RuntimeException;
diff --git a/ext/mysqli/tests/bug50772.phpt b/ext/mysqli/tests/bug50772.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4724d0f29e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/mysqli/tests/bug50772.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+--TEST--
+Bug #50772 (mysqli constructor without parameters does not return a working mysqli object)
+--SKIPIF--
+<?php
+require_once('skipif.inc');
+require_once('skipifconnectfailure.inc');
+?>
+--FILE--
+<?php
+	include "connect.inc";
+	$db1 = new mysqli();
+
+	// These calls fail
+	$db1->options(MYSQLI_OPT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, 3);
+	$db1->real_connect($host, $user, $passwd);
+	if(mysqli_connect_error()) {
+		echo "error 1\n";
+	} else {
+		echo "ok 1\n";
+	}
+
+	$db2 = mysqli_init();
+
+	$db2->options(MYSQLI_OPT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, 3);
+	$db2->real_connect($host, $user, $passwd);
+	if(mysqli_connect_error()) {
+		echo "error 2\n";
+	} else {
+		echo "ok 2\n";
+	}
+	echo "done\n";
+?>
+--EXPECTF--
+ok 1
+ok 2
+done
\ No newline at end of file