diff --git a/rt/transports/http/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/transport/http/HttpClientHTTPConduit.java b/rt/transports/http/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/transport/http/HttpClientHTTPConduit.java
index 01fd631afc..2d86718867 100644
--- a/rt/transports/http/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/transport/http/HttpClientHTTPConduit.java
+++ b/rt/transports/http/src/main/java/org/apache/cxf/transport/http/HttpClientHTTPConduit.java
@@ -84,6 +84,30 @@ import org.apache.cxf.ws.addressing.EndpointReferenceType;
 
 public class HttpClientHTTPConduit extends URLConnectionHTTPConduit {
 
+    private static final class NoRefProxySelector extends ProxySelector {
+        private final ProxyFactory proxyFactory;
+        private final HTTPClientPolicy csPolicy;
+
+        NoRefProxySelector(ProxyFactory proxyFactory, HTTPClientPolicy csPolicy) {
+            this.proxyFactory = proxyFactory;
+            this.csPolicy = csPolicy;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public List<Proxy> select(URI uri) {
+            Proxy proxy = proxyFactory.createProxy(csPolicy, uri);
+            if (proxy !=  null) {
+                return Arrays.asList(proxy);
+            }
+            return ProxySelector.getDefault().select(uri);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void connectFailed(URI uri, SocketAddress sa, IOException ioe) {
+            // do nothing
+        }
+    }
+
     volatile HttpClient client;
     volatile int lastTlsHash = -1;
     volatile URI sslURL;
@@ -161,17 +185,7 @@ public class HttpClientHTTPConduit extends URLConnectionHTTPConduit {
         HttpClient cl = client;
         if (cl == null) {
             int ctimeout = determineConnectionTimeout(message, csPolicy);        
-            ProxySelector ps = new ProxySelector() {
-                public List<Proxy> select(URI uri) {
-                    Proxy proxy = proxyFactory.createProxy(csPolicy, uri);
-                    if (proxy !=  null) {
-                        return Arrays.asList(proxy);
-                    }
-                    return ProxySelector.getDefault().select(uri);
-                }
-                public void connectFailed(URI uri, SocketAddress sa, IOException ioe) {
-                }
-            };
+            ProxySelector ps = new NoRefProxySelector(proxyFactory, csPolicy);
             
             HttpClient.Builder cb = HttpClient.newBuilder()
                 .proxy(ps)