diff --git a/salt/loader.py b/salt/loader.py
index 5d3add7a06..ec5b10cd65 100644
--- a/salt/loader.py
+++ b/salt/loader.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def returners(opts, functions, whitelist=None, context=None):
     Returns the returner modules
     '''
     if context is None:
-        conext = {}
+        context = {}
     return LazyLoader(_module_dirs(opts, 'returners', 'returner'),
                       opts,
                       tag='returner',
diff --git a/salt/returners/mysql.py b/salt/returners/mysql.py
index a93b750294..cbdb9b7717 100644
--- a/salt/returners/mysql.py
+++ b/salt/returners/mysql.py
@@ -156,14 +156,26 @@ def _get_serv(ret=None, commit=False):
     Return a mysql cursor
     '''
     _options = _get_options(ret)
-    try:
-        conn = MySQLdb.connect(host=_options.get('host'),
-                               user=_options.get('user'),
-                               passwd=_options.get('pass'),
-                               db=_options.get('db'),
-                               port=_options.get('port'))
-    except MySQLdb.connections.OperationalError as exc:
-        raise salt.exceptions.SaltMasterError('MySQL returner could not connect to database: {exc}'.format(exc=exc))
+
+    if __context__ and 'mysql_returner_conn' in __context__:
+        log.debug('Reusing MySQL connection pool')
+        conn = __context__['mysql_returner_conn']
+    else:
+        log.debug('Generating new MySQL connection pool')
+        try:
+            conn = MySQLdb.connect(host=_options.get('host'),
+                                   user=_options.get('user'),
+                                   passwd=_options.get('pass'),
+                                   db=_options.get('db'),
+                                   port=_options.get('port'),
+                                   pool_size=32)
+
+            try:
+                __context__['mysql_returner_conn'] = conn
+            except TypeError:
+                pass
+        except MySQLdb.connections.OperationalError as exc:
+            raise salt.exceptions.SaltMasterError('MySQL returner could not connect to database: {exc}'.format(exc=exc))
     cursor = conn.cursor()
     try:
         yield cursor