diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/ops.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/ops.c
index 98f62d78cf9ca..03b41d911338d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/ops.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/ops.c
@@ -791,6 +791,10 @@ iwl_op_mode_mvm_start(struct iwl_trans *trans, const struct iwl_cfg *cfg,
 	if (!mvm->scan_cmd)
 		goto out_free;
 
+	/* invalidate ids to prevent accidental removal of sta_id 0 */
+	mvm->aux_sta.sta_id = IWL_MVM_INVALID_STA;
+	mvm->snif_sta.sta_id = IWL_MVM_INVALID_STA;
+
 	/* Set EBS as successful as long as not stated otherwise by the FW. */
 	mvm->last_ebs_successful = true;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/sta.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/sta.c
index dc174410bf9c2..578c353ae02c9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/sta.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/sta.c
@@ -2057,6 +2057,9 @@ int iwl_mvm_rm_snif_sta(struct iwl_mvm *mvm, struct ieee80211_vif *vif)
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&mvm->mutex);
 
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(mvm->snif_sta.sta_id == IWL_MVM_INVALID_STA))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	iwl_mvm_disable_txq(mvm, NULL, mvm->snif_queue, IWL_MAX_TID_COUNT, 0);
 	ret = iwl_mvm_rm_sta_common(mvm, mvm->snif_sta.sta_id);
 	if (ret)
@@ -2071,6 +2074,9 @@ int iwl_mvm_rm_aux_sta(struct iwl_mvm *mvm)
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&mvm->mutex);
 
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(mvm->aux_sta.sta_id == IWL_MVM_INVALID_STA))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	iwl_mvm_disable_txq(mvm, NULL, mvm->aux_queue, IWL_MAX_TID_COUNT, 0);
 	ret = iwl_mvm_rm_sta_common(mvm, mvm->aux_sta.sta_id);
 	if (ret)