diff --git a/components/mlme/core/src/wlan_mlme_main.c b/components/mlme/core/src/wlan_mlme_main.c
index 2e9b565f592e..74b22d2c6010 100644
--- a/components/mlme/core/src/wlan_mlme_main.c
+++ b/components/mlme/core/src/wlan_mlme_main.c
@@ -1305,6 +1305,8 @@ static void mlme_init_acs_cfg(struct wlan_objmgr_psoc *psoc,
 		cfg_get(psoc, CFG_AUTO_CHANNEL_SELECT_WEIGHT);
 	acs->is_vendor_acs_support =
 		cfg_get(psoc, CFG_USER_AUTO_CHANNEL_SELECTION);
+	acs->force_sap_start =
+		cfg_get(psoc, CFG_ACS_FORCE_START_SAP);
 	acs->is_acs_support_for_dfs_ltecoex =
 		cfg_get(psoc, CFG_USER_ACS_DFS_LTE);
 	acs->is_external_acs_policy =
diff --git a/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/cfg_mlme_acs.h b/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/cfg_mlme_acs.h
index c387e401cee1..b71c33c803a6 100644
--- a/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/cfg_mlme_acs.h
+++ b/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/cfg_mlme_acs.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012-2019 The Linux Foundation. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012-2020 The Linux Foundation. All rights reserved.
  *
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for
  * any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the
@@ -179,12 +179,36 @@
 		"5940-7105=0, 5965=100, 6045=100, 6125=100, 6205=100, 6285=100, 6365=100, 6605=100, 6685=100, 6765=100, 6845=100", \
 		"Used to specify the channel weights")
 
+/*
+ * <ini>
+ * force_start_sap- Enable the SAP even if no channel is suitable for SAP
+ * @Min: 0
+ * @Max: 1
+ * @Default: 0
+ *
+ * This ini is used to enable the SAP even if no channel is found suitable
+ * for SAP by ACS.
+ *
+ * Related: NA
+ *
+ * Supported Feature: ACS
+ *
+ * Usage: Internal
+ *
+ * </ini>
+ */
+#define CFG_ACS_FORCE_START_SAP CFG_INI_BOOL( \
+		"force_start_sap", \
+		0, \
+		"Force start SAP")
+
 #define CFG_ACS_ALL \
 	CFG(CFG_ACS_WITH_MORE_PARAM) \
 	CFG(CFG_AUTO_CHANNEL_SELECT_WEIGHT) \
 	CFG(CFG_USER_AUTO_CHANNEL_SELECTION) \
 	CFG(CFG_USER_ACS_DFS_LTE) \
 	CFG(CFG_EXTERNAL_ACS_POLICY) \
-	CFG(CFG_NORMALIZE_ACS_WEIGHT)
+	CFG(CFG_NORMALIZE_ACS_WEIGHT) \
+	CFG(CFG_ACS_FORCE_START_SAP)
 
 #endif /* __CFG_MLME_ACS_H */
diff --git a/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/wlan_mlme_public_struct.h b/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/wlan_mlme_public_struct.h
index dbb225a45d97..ea4af764fd23 100644
--- a/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/wlan_mlme_public_struct.h
+++ b/components/mlme/dispatcher/inc/wlan_mlme_public_struct.h
@@ -1227,6 +1227,8 @@ struct acs_weight_range {
  * @normalize_weight_num_chan: Number of freq items for normalization.
  * @normalize_weight_range: Frequency range for weight normalization
  * @num_weight_range: num of ranges provided by user
+ * @force_sap_start: Force SAP start when no channel is found suitable
+ * by ACS
  */
 struct wlan_mlme_acs {
 	bool is_acs_with_more_param;
@@ -1238,6 +1240,7 @@ struct wlan_mlme_acs {
 	uint16_t normalize_weight_num_chan;
 	struct acs_weight_range normalize_weight_range[MAX_ACS_WEIGHT_RANGE];
 	uint16_t num_weight_range;
+	bool force_sap_start;
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c b/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c
index fbec547fabc2..f93f5969d3f5 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c
@@ -319,21 +319,24 @@ QDF_STATUS wlansap_pre_start_bss_acs_scan_callback(mac_handle_t mac_handle,
 
 	wlan_sap_filter_non_preferred_channels(mac_ctx->pdev, sap_ctx);
 	if (!sap_ctx->acs_cfg->ch_list_count) {
-		sap_err("No channel left for SAP operation, hotspot fail");
-		sap_ctx->chan_freq = SAP_CHANNEL_NOT_SELECTED;
-		sap_ctx->acs_cfg->pri_ch_freq = SAP_CHANNEL_NOT_SELECTED;
-		sap_config_acs_result(mac_handle, sap_ctx, 0);
+		oper_channel =
+			sap_select_default_oper_chan(mac_ctx,
+						     sap_ctx->acs_cfg);
+		sap_ctx->chan_freq = oper_channel;
+		sap_ctx->acs_cfg->pri_ch_freq = oper_channel;
+		sap_config_acs_result(mac_handle, sap_ctx,
+				      sap_ctx->acs_cfg->ht_sec_ch_freq);
 		sap_ctx->sap_state = eSAP_ACS_CHANNEL_SELECTED;
-		sap_ctx->sap_status = eSAP_START_BSS_CHANNEL_NOT_SELECTED;
+		sap_ctx->sap_status = eSAP_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 		goto close_session;
-
 	}
 	if (eCSR_SCAN_SUCCESS != scan_status) {
 		QDF_TRACE(QDF_MODULE_ID_SAP, QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_ERROR,
 			FL("CSR scan_status = eCSR_SCAN_ABORT/FAILURE (%d), choose default channel"),
 			scan_status);
 		oper_channel =
-			sap_select_default_oper_chan(sap_ctx->acs_cfg);
+			sap_select_default_oper_chan(mac_ctx,
+						     sap_ctx->acs_cfg);
 		wlansap_set_acs_ch_freq(sap_ctx, oper_channel);
 		sap_ctx->acs_cfg->pri_ch_freq = oper_channel;
 		sap_config_acs_result(mac_handle, sap_ctx,
@@ -351,7 +354,8 @@ QDF_STATUS wlansap_pre_start_bss_acs_scan_callback(mac_handle_t mac_handle,
 	if (oper_channel == SAP_CHANNEL_NOT_SELECTED) {
 		QDF_TRACE(QDF_MODULE_ID_SAP, QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_INFO,
 			  FL("No suitable channel, so select default channel"));
-		oper_channel = sap_select_default_oper_chan(sap_ctx->acs_cfg);
+		oper_channel = sap_select_default_oper_chan(mac_ctx,
+							    sap_ctx->acs_cfg);
 	}
 
 	wlansap_set_acs_ch_freq(sap_ctx, oper_channel);
diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c b/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
index 514c6a94bbba..d705b5312b94 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
@@ -666,13 +666,24 @@ sap_chan_bond_dfs_sub_chan(struct sap_context *sap_context,
 	return false;
 }
 
-uint32_t sap_select_default_oper_chan(struct sap_acs_cfg *acs_cfg)
+uint32_t sap_select_default_oper_chan(struct mac_context *mac_ctx,
+				      struct sap_acs_cfg *acs_cfg)
 {
 	uint16_t i;
 
-	if (!acs_cfg || !acs_cfg->freq_list || !acs_cfg->ch_list_count)
+	if (!acs_cfg)
 		return 0;
 
+	if (!acs_cfg->ch_list_count || !acs_cfg->freq_list) {
+		if (mac_ctx->mlme_cfg->acs.force_sap_start) {
+			sap_debug("SAP forced, freq selected %d",
+				  acs_cfg->master_freq_list[0]);
+			return acs_cfg->master_freq_list[0];
+		} else {
+			sap_debug("No channel left for operation");
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
 	/*
 	 * There could be both 2.4Ghz and 5ghz channels present in the list
 	 * based upon the Hw mode received from hostapd, it is always better
@@ -954,7 +965,7 @@ QDF_STATUS sap_channel_sel(struct sap_context *sap_context)
 				  FL("SAP Configuring default ch, Ch_freq=%d"),
 				  sap_context->chan_freq);
 			default_op_freq = sap_select_default_oper_chan(
-						sap_context->acs_cfg);
+						mac_ctx, sap_context->acs_cfg);
 			wlansap_set_acs_ch_freq(sap_context, default_op_freq);
 
 			if (sap_context->freq_list) {
diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h b/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h
index 06432a26fdf5..c39b152ecf7d 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ static inline uint8_t sap_indicate_radar(struct sap_context *sap_ctx)
 
 /**
  * sap_select_default_oper_chan() - Select AP mode default operating channel
+ * @mac_ctx: mac context
  * @acs_cfg: pointer to ACS config info
  *
  * Select AP mode default operating channel based on ACS hw mode and channel
@@ -460,7 +461,8 @@ static inline uint8_t sap_indicate_radar(struct sap_context *sap_ctx)
  *
  * Return: Selected operating channel frequency
  */
-uint32_t sap_select_default_oper_chan(struct sap_acs_cfg *acs_cfg);
+uint32_t sap_select_default_oper_chan(struct mac_context *mac_ctx,
+				      struct sap_acs_cfg *acs_cfg);
 
 /*
  * sap_is_dfs_cac_wait_state() - check if sap is in cac wait state