diff --git a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_cfg80211.c b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_cfg80211.c
index a9934b60b87b..9b6b622148bd 100644
--- a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_cfg80211.c
+++ b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_cfg80211.c
@@ -16208,6 +16208,17 @@ static int wlan_hdd_add_key_sap(struct hdd_adapter *adapter,
 	vdev = hdd_objmgr_get_vdev(adapter);
 	if (!vdev)
 		return -EINVAL;
+
+	/* Do not send install key when sap restart is in progress. If there is
+	 * critical channel request handling going on, fw will stop that request
+	 * and will not send restart resposne
+	 */
+	if (wlan_vdev_is_restart_progress(vdev) == QDF_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+		hdd_err("vdev: %d restart in progress", wlan_vdev_get_id(vdev));
+		hdd_objmgr_put_vdev(vdev);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	if (hostapd_state->bss_state == BSS_START) {
 		errno =
 		wlan_cfg80211_crypto_add_key(vdev, (pairwise ?
diff --git a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_assoc_req_frame.c b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_assoc_req_frame.c
index 857f80fefc71..3d8b01da4621 100644
--- a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_assoc_req_frame.c
+++ b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_assoc_req_frame.c
@@ -2211,7 +2211,7 @@ void lim_process_assoc_req_frame(struct mac_context *mac_ctx, uint8_t *rx_pkt_in
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (wlan_vdev_is_up(vdev) != QDF_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+	if (wlan_vdev_mlme_get_state(vdev) != WLAN_VDEV_S_UP) {
 		pe_err("SAP is not up, drop ASSOC REQ on sessionid: %d",
 		       session->peSessionId);