diff --git a/debezium-connector-mysql/src/main/java/io/debezium/connector/mysql/MySqlConnectorTask.java b/debezium-connector-mysql/src/main/java/io/debezium/connector/mysql/MySqlConnectorTask.java
index db6019867..624dd5129 100644
--- a/debezium-connector-mysql/src/main/java/io/debezium/connector/mysql/MySqlConnectorTask.java
+++ b/debezium-connector-mysql/src/main/java/io/debezium/connector/mysql/MySqlConnectorTask.java
@@ -79,12 +79,6 @@ public ChangeEventSourceCoordinator<MySqlOffsetContext> start(Configuration conf
         connection = new MySqlConnection(new MySqlConnectionConfiguration(config),
                 connectorConfig.useCursorFetch() ? new MysqlBinaryProtocolFieldReader()
                         : new MysqlTextProtocolFieldReader());
-        try {
-            connection.setAutoCommit(false);
-        }
-        catch (SQLException e) {
-            throw new DebeziumException(e);
-        }
 
         validateBinlogConfiguration(connectorConfig);
 
@@ -97,7 +91,26 @@ public ChangeEventSourceCoordinator<MySqlOffsetContext> start(Configuration conf
 
         this.schema = new MySqlDatabaseSchema(connectorConfig, valueConverters, topicSelector, schemaNameAdjuster, tableIdCaseInsensitive);
 
+        LOGGER.info("Closing connection before starting schema recovery");
+
+        try {
+            connection.close();
+        }
+        catch (SQLException e) {
+            throw new DebeziumException(e);
+        }
+
         validateAndLoadDatabaseHistory(connectorConfig, previousOffset, schema);
+
+        LOGGER.info("Reconnecting after finishing schema recovery");
+
+        try {
+            connection.setAutoCommit(false);
+        }
+        catch (SQLException e) {
+            throw new DebeziumException(e);
+        }
+
         // If the binlog position is not available it is necessary to reexecute snapshot
         if (validateSnapshotFeasibility(connectorConfig, previousOffset)) {
             previousOffset = null;