Disclosed examples include an ESD protection circuit, including a transistor operative according to a control voltage signal at a control node to selectively conduct current from a protected node to a reference node during an ESD event, as well as a resistor connected between the control node and the reference node, a capacitor connected between the control node and an internal node, and a diode with an anode connected to the protected node and a cathode connected to the internal node to allow charging current to flow from the protected node to charge the capacitor and to provide a high impedance to the internal node to prevent or mitigate flow of leakage current from the internal node to the protected node to raise a trigger voltage of the protection circuit during normal operation.