diff --git a/_mysql.c b/_mysql.c
index f081346..481617e 100644
--- a/_mysql.c
+++ b/_mysql.c
@@ -2002,7 +2002,7 @@ _mysql_ConnectionObject_ping(
 	int r, reconnect = -1;
 	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "|I", &reconnect)) return NULL;
 	check_connection(self);
-	if ( reconnect != -1 ) self->connection.reconnect = reconnect;
+	if ( reconnect != -1 ) mysql_options(&self->connection, MYSQL_OPT_RECONNECT, &reconnect);
 	Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
 	r = mysql_ping(&(self->connection));
 	Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS