diff --git a/src/Connection.php b/src/Connection.php
index 1cd009f..3153ee5 100644
--- a/src/Connection.php
+++ b/src/Connection.php
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ class Connection extends AbstractConnection implements DriverAwareInterface
 {
     protected Driver $driver;
 
+    protected ?MysqliConnectionParameters $params = null;
+
     /** @var mysqli */
     protected $resource;
 
@@ -37,48 +39,42 @@ class Connection extends AbstractConnection implements DriverAwareInterface
      * @throws InvalidArgumentException
      */
     public function __construct(
-        array|mysqli|null $connectionInfo = null
+        array|mysqli $connectionInfo,
     ) {
         if (is_array($connectionInfo)) {
             $this->setConnectionParameters($connectionInfo);
-        } elseif ($connectionInfo instanceof mysqli) {
+        }
+
+        if ($connectionInfo instanceof mysqli) {
             $this->setResource($connectionInfo);
-        } elseif (null !== $connectionInfo) {
-            throw new Exception\InvalidArgumentException(
-                '$connection must be an array of parameters, a mysqli object or null'
-            );
         }
     }
 
-    public function setDriver(DriverInterface $driver): DriverAwareInterface
+    /** @inheritDoc */
+    #[Override]
+    public function beginTransaction(): ConnectionInterface
     {
-        $this->driver = $driver;
+        if (! $this->isConnected()) {
+            $this->connect();
+        }
+
+        $this->resource->autocommit(false);
+        $this->inTransaction = true;
 
         return $this;
     }
 
     /** @inheritDoc */
     #[Override]
-    public function getCurrentSchema(): string|false
+    public function commit(): ConnectionInterface
     {
         if (! $this->isConnected()) {
             $this->connect();
         }
 
-        $result = $this->resource->query('SELECT DATABASE()');
-        $r      = $result->fetch_row();
-
-        return $r[0];
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Set resource
-     *
-     * @return $this Provides a fluent interface
-     */
-    public function setResource(mysqli $resource): static
-    {
-        $this->resource = $resource;
+        $this->resource->commit();
+        $this->inTransaction = false;
+        $this->resource->autocommit(true);
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -91,104 +87,25 @@ public function connect(): ConnectionInterface
             return $this;
         }
 
-        /** @var array $p */
-        $p = $this->connectionParameters;
-
-        // given a list of key names, test for existence in $p
-        /** @var string[] $names */
-        $findParameterValue = function (array $names) use ($p): string|null {
-            foreach ($names as $name) {
-                if (isset($p[$name])) {
-                    return $p[$name];
-                }
-            }
-
-            return null;
-        };
-
-        /** @var string|null $hostname */
-        $hostname = $findParameterValue(['hostname', 'host']);
-        $username = $findParameterValue(['username', 'user']);
-        $password = $findParameterValue(['password', 'passwd', 'pw']);
-        $database = $findParameterValue(['database', 'dbname', 'db', 'schema']);
-        /** @var int|null $port */
-        $port = isset($p['port']) ? (int) $p['port'] : null;
-        /** @var string|null $socket */
-        $socket = $p['socket'] ?? null;
-
-        // phpcs:ignore WebimpressCodingStandard.NamingConventions.ValidVariableName.NotCamelCaps
-        $useSSL     = $p['use_ssl'] ?? 0;
-        $clientKey  = $p['client_key'] ?? '';
-        $clientCert = $p['client_cert'] ?? '';
-        $caCert     = $p['ca_cert'] ?? '';
-        $caPath     = $p['ca_path'] ?? '';
-        $cipher     = $p['cipher'] ?? '';
+        $params = $this->params ??= MysqliConnectionParameters::fromArray($this->connectionParameters);
 
         $this->resource = $this->createResource();
 
-        if (! empty($p['driver_options'])) {
-            foreach ($p['driver_options'] as $option => $value) {
-                if (is_string($option)) {
-                    $option = strtoupper($option);
-                    if (! defined($option)) {
-                        continue;
-                    }
-                    $option = constant($option);
-                }
-                $this->resource->options($option, $value);
-            }
+        if ([] !== $params->driverOptions) {
+            $this->applyDriverOptions($this->resource, $params->driverOptions);
         }
 
-        $flags = null;
-
-        // phpcs:ignore WebimpressCodingStandard.NamingConventions.ValidVariableName.NotCamelCaps
-        if ($useSSL && ! $socket) {
-            // Even though mysqli docs are not quite clear on this, MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL
-            // needs to be set to make sure SSL is used. ssl_set can also cause it to
-            // be implicitly set, but only when any of the parameters is non-empty.
-            $flags = MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL;
-            $this->resource->ssl_set($clientKey, $clientCert, $caCert, $caPath, $cipher);
-            //MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL_DONT_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT is not valid option, needs to be set as flag
-            if (
-                isset($p['driver_options'][MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL_DONT_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT])
-            ) {
-                $flags |= MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL_DONT_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT;
-            }
-        }
+        $flags = $this->applySsl($this->resource, $params);
 
-        try {
-            $flags === null
-                ? $this->resource->real_connect($hostname, $username, $password, $database, $port, $socket)
-                : $this->resource->real_connect($hostname, $username, $password, $database, $port, $socket, $flags);
-        } catch (GenericException) {
-            throw new Exception\RuntimeException(
-                'Connection error',
-                $this->resource->connect_errno,
-                new Exception\ErrorException($this->resource->connect_error, $this->resource->connect_errno)
-            );
-        }
-
-        if ($this->resource->connect_error) {
-            throw new Exception\RuntimeException(
-                'Connection error',
-                $this->resource->connect_errno,
-                new Exception\ErrorException($this->resource->connect_error, $this->resource->connect_errno)
-            );
-        }
+        $this->performRealConnect($this->resource, $params, $flags);
 
-        if (! empty($p['charset'])) {
-            $this->resource->set_charset($p['charset']);
+        if (! empty($params->charset)) {
+            $this->resource->set_charset($params->charset);
         }
 
         return $this;
     }
 
-    /** @inheritDoc */
-    public function isConnected(): bool
-    {
-        return $this->resource instanceof mysqli;
-    }
-
     /** @inheritDoc */
     #[Override]
     public function disconnect(): ConnectionInterface
@@ -200,33 +117,57 @@ public function disconnect(): ConnectionInterface
         return $this;
     }
 
-    /** @inheritDoc */
+    /**
+     * {@inheritDoc}
+     *
+     * @throws Exception\InvalidQueryException
+     */
     #[Override]
-    public function beginTransaction(): ConnectionInterface
+    public function execute(string $sql): ?ResultInterface
     {
         if (! $this->isConnected()) {
             $this->connect();
         }
 
-        $this->resource->autocommit(false);
-        $this->inTransaction = true;
+        $this->profiler?->profilerStart($sql);
 
-        return $this;
+        $resultResource = $this->resource->query($sql);
+
+        $this->profiler?->profilerFinish();
+
+        // if the returnValue is something other than a mysqli_result, bypass wrapping it
+        if (false === $resultResource) {
+            throw new Exception\InvalidQueryException($this->resource->error);
+        }
+
+        return $this->driver->createResult($resultResource === true ? $this->resource : $resultResource);
     }
 
     /** @inheritDoc */
     #[Override]
-    public function commit(): ConnectionInterface
+    public function getCurrentSchema(): string|false
     {
         if (! $this->isConnected()) {
             $this->connect();
         }
 
-        $this->resource->commit();
-        $this->inTransaction = false;
-        $this->resource->autocommit(true);
+        $result = $this->resource->query('SELECT DATABASE()');
+        $r      = $result->fetch_row();
 
-        return $this;
+        return $r[0];
+    }
+
+    /** @inheritDoc */
+    #[Override]
+    public function getLastGeneratedValue(?string $name = null): string|int|false|null
+    {
+        return $this->resource->insert_id;
+    }
+
+    /** @inheritDoc */
+    public function isConnected(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->resource instanceof mysqli;
     }
 
     /** @inheritDoc */
@@ -249,36 +190,38 @@ public function rollback(): ConnectionInterface
     }
 
     /**
-     * {@inheritDoc}
+     * Set connection parameters
      *
-     * @throws Exception\InvalidQueryException
+     * Also normalizes the raw array into a {@see MysqliConnectionParameters} value
+     * object, cached for the lifetime of the connection so that {@see connect()}
+     * does not need to re-parse the raw array on every call.
      */
     #[Override]
-    public function execute($sql): ?ResultInterface
+    public function setConnectionParameters(array $connectionParameters): ConnectionInterface
     {
-        if (! $this->isConnected()) {
-            $this->connect();
-        }
+        parent::setConnectionParameters($connectionParameters);
+        $this->params = MysqliConnectionParameters::fromArray($connectionParameters);
 
-        $this->profiler?->profilerStart($sql);
-
-        $resultResource = $this->resource->query($sql);
-
-        $this->profiler?->profilerFinish($sql);
+        return $this;
+    }
 
-        // if the returnValue is something other than a mysqli_result, bypass wrapping it
-        if ($resultResource === false) {
-            throw new Exception\InvalidQueryException($this->resource->error);
-        }
+    public function setDriver(DriverInterface $driver): DriverAwareInterface
+    {
+        $this->driver = $driver;
 
-        return $this->driver->createResult($resultResource === true ? $this->resource : $resultResource);
+        return $this;
     }
 
-    /** @inheritDoc */
-    #[Override]
-    public function getLastGeneratedValue(?string $name = null): string|int|false|null
+    /**
+     * Set resource
+     *
+     * @return $this Provides a fluent interface
+     */
+    public function setResource(mysqli $resource): static
     {
-        return $this->resource->insert_id;
+        $this->resource = $resource;
+
+        return $this;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -292,4 +235,98 @@ protected function createResource()
     {
         return new mysqli();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Apply mysqli `driver_options` to the resource prior to connecting.
+     *
+     * String keys are resolved against defined `MYSQLI_*` constants (case-insensitively);
+     * unresolvable string keys are ignored. Integer keys (e.g. raw `MYSQLI_*` constants)
+     * are passed through unchanged.
+     *
+     * @param array<int|string, mixed> $driverOptions
+     */
+    private function applyDriverOptions(mysqli $resource, array $driverOptions): void
+    {
+        foreach ($driverOptions as $option => $value) {
+            if (is_string($option)) {
+                $option = strtoupper($option);
+                if (! defined($option)) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                $option = constant($option);
+            }
+            $resource->options($option, $value);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Configure SSL on the resource, if requested, and return the connect flags to use.
+     *
+     * Even though mysqli docs are not quite clear on this, MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL needs to be
+     * set to make sure SSL is used. ssl_set can also cause it to be implicitly set, but
+     * only when any of the parameters is non-empty.
+     */
+    private function applySsl(mysqli $resource, MysqliConnectionParameters $params): ?int
+    {
+        if (! $params->ssl->enabled || $params->socket) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $flags = MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL;
+        $resource->ssl_set(
+            $params->ssl->key,
+            $params->ssl->cert,
+            $params->ssl->caCert,
+            $params->ssl->caPath,
+            $params->ssl->cipher,
+        );
+
+        // MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL_DONT_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT is not valid option, needs to be set as flag
+        if (isset($params->driverOptions[MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL_DONT_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT])) {
+            $flags |= MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL_DONT_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT;
+        }
+
+        return $flags;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @throws Exception\RuntimeException
+     */
+    private function performRealConnect(mysqli $resource, MysqliConnectionParameters $params, ?int $flags): void
+    {
+        try {
+            null === $flags
+                ? $resource->real_connect(
+                    $params->hostname,
+                    $params->username,
+                    $params->password,
+                    $params->database,
+                    $params->port,
+                    $params->socket,
+                )
+                : $resource->real_connect(
+                    $params->hostname,
+                    $params->username,
+                    $params->password,
+                    $params->database,
+                    $params->port,
+                    $params->socket,
+                    $flags,
+                );
+        } catch (GenericException) {
+            throw new Exception\RuntimeException(
+                'Connection error',
+                $resource->connect_errno,
+                new Exception\ErrorException($resource->connect_error, $resource->connect_errno),
+            );
+        }
+
+        if ($resource->connect_error) {
+            throw new Exception\RuntimeException(
+                'Connection error',
+                $resource->connect_errno,
+                new Exception\ErrorException($resource->connect_error, $resource->connect_errno),
+            );
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/MysqliConnectionParameters.php b/src/MysqliConnectionParameters.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81d1a10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/MysqliConnectionParameters.php
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace PhpDb\Mysql;
+
+use function is_array;
+use function strtolower;
+
+/**
+ * Immutable, normalized representation of the array accepted by
+ * {@see \PhpDb\Mysql\Connection::setConnectionParameters()}.
+ *
+ * Resolves the various accepted key aliases (e.g. `hostname`/`host`) once, so
+ * {@see \PhpDb\Mysql\Connection::connect()} can consume typed properties instead of
+ * re-parsing a raw array on every call.
+ */
+final readonly class MysqliConnectionParameters
+{
+    /**
+     * @param array<int|string, mixed> $driverOptions
+     */
+    public function __construct(
+        public ?string $hostname = null,
+        public ?string $username = null,
+        public ?string $password = null,
+        public ?string $database = null,
+        public ?int $port = null,
+        public ?string $socket = null,
+        public ?string $charset = null,
+        public array $driverOptions = [],
+        public MysqliSslOptions $ssl = new MysqliSslOptions(),
+    ) {}
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $params
+     */
+    public static function fromArray(array $params): self
+    {
+        $hostname      = $username = $password = $database = $port = $socket = $charset = null;
+        $driverOptions = [];
+
+        foreach ($params as $key => $value) {
+            $result = match (strtolower((string) $key)) {
+                'hostname', 'host'                   => $hostname = (string) $value,
+                'username', 'user'                   => $username = (string) $value,
+                'password', 'passwd', 'pw'           => $password = (string) $value,
+                'database', 'dbname', 'db', 'schema' => $database = (string) $value,
+                'port'                               => $port = (int) $value,
+                'socket'                             => $socket = (string) $value,
+                'charset'                            => $charset = (string) $value,
+                'driver_options'                     => $driverOptions = is_array($value) ? $value : [],
+                default                              => null,
+            };
+        }
+        unset($result);
+
+        return new self(
+            hostname     : $hostname,
+            username     : $username,
+            password     : $password,
+            database     : $database,
+            port         : $port,
+            socket       : $socket,
+            charset      : $charset,
+            driverOptions: $driverOptions,
+            ssl          : MysqliSslOptions::fromArray($params),
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/MysqliSslOptions.php b/src/MysqliSslOptions.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1078906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/MysqliSslOptions.php
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace PhpDb\Mysql;
+
+/**
+ * Immutable value object holding the SSL-related mysqli connection options.
+ *
+ * @see MysqliConnectionParameters
+ */
+final readonly class MysqliSslOptions
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        public bool $enabled = false,
+        public string $key = '',
+        public string $cert = '',
+        public string $caCert = '',
+        public string $caPath = '',
+        public string $cipher = '',
+    ) {}
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $params Raw connection parameters, as accepted by
+     * {@see \PhpDb\Mysql\Connection::setConnectionParameters()}.
+     */
+    public static function fromArray(array $params): self
+    {
+        return new self(
+            enabled: (bool) ($params['use_ssl'] ?? false),
+            key: (string) ($params['client_key'] ?? ''),
+            cert: (string) ($params['client_cert'] ?? ''),
+            caCert: (string) ($params['ca_cert'] ?? ''),
+            caPath: (string) ($params['ca_path'] ?? ''),
+            cipher: (string) ($params['cipher'] ?? ''),
+        );
+    }
+}