diff --git a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_main.c b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_main.c
index bbf6ad8bee7b..480241a14269 100644
--- a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_main.c
+++ b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_main.c
@@ -6669,8 +6669,7 @@ static int hdd_wiphy_init(struct hdd_context *hdd_ctx)
 		return ret_val;
 	}
 
-	if (!hdd_ctx->reg_offload)
-		hdd_program_country_code(hdd_ctx);
+	pld_increment_driver_load_cnt(hdd_ctx->parent_dev);
 
 	return ret_val;
 }
diff --git a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_regulatory.c b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_regulatory.c
index 273db4eead35..ac7ea8c6cd77 100644
--- a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_regulatory.c
+++ b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_regulatory.c
@@ -708,8 +708,13 @@ void hdd_reg_notifier(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 		  request->dfs_region);
 
 	switch (request->initiator) {
-	case NL80211_REGDOM_SET_BY_USER:
 	case NL80211_REGDOM_SET_BY_CORE:
+		if (pld_get_driver_load_cnt(hdd_ctx->parent_dev) == 0) {
+			hdd_debug("ignore the 1st time notifier from CORE");
+			return;
+		}
+		/* fall through to set country */
+	case NL80211_REGDOM_SET_BY_USER:
 		status = ucfg_reg_set_country(hdd_ctx->hdd_pdev,
 					      request->alpha2);
 		break;