The invention provides a motor drive circuit and an electric power steering apparatus. The motor drive circuit includes a transistor that is connected in parallel to a first voltage divider resistance that forms a voltage divider circuit between the source and the gate of a second interrupting MOSFET. If a reverse connection of the battery occurs, a compensation drive circuit turns on the transistor using an output from the battery so that the source and the gate of the second interrupting MOSFET are short-circuited. Thus, formation of a closed circuit that includes the battery and the inverter circuit is prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent both terminals of the battery from being short-circuited.