diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index 07abaf7820c56..44971a62d798e 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -1486,7 +1486,10 @@ static int ieee80211_start_ap(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 		if (old)
 			kfree_rcu(old, rcu_head);
 		RCU_INIT_POINTER(link->u.ap.beacon, NULL);
-		sdata->u.ap.active = false;
+
+		if (ieee80211_num_beaconing_links(sdata) == 0)
+			sdata->u.ap.active = false;
+
 		goto error;
 	}
 
@@ -1619,11 +1622,12 @@ static int ieee80211_stop_ap(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 	list_for_each_entry(vlan, &sdata->u.ap.vlans, u.vlan.list)
 		netif_carrier_off(vlan->dev);
 
-	if (ieee80211_num_beaconing_links(sdata) <= 1)
+	if (ieee80211_num_beaconing_links(sdata) <= 1) {
 		netif_carrier_off(dev);
+		sdata->u.ap.active = false;
+	}
 
 	/* remove beacon and probe response */
-	sdata->u.ap.active = false;
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(link->u.ap.beacon, NULL);
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(link->u.ap.probe_resp, NULL);
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(link->u.ap.fils_discovery, NULL);