diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c b/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c
index bf694c2ed6db..2447879bcab7 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_api_link_cntl.c
@@ -325,14 +325,9 @@ wlansap_pre_start_bss_acs_scan_callback(tHalHandle hal_handle, void *pcontext,
 		QDF_TRACE(QDF_MODULE_ID_SAP, QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_ERROR,
 			FL("CSR scan_status = eCSR_SCAN_ABORT/FAILURE (%d), choose default channel"),
 			scan_status);
-#ifdef SOFTAP_CHANNEL_RANGE
-		if (sap_ctx->acs_cfg->hw_mode == eCSR_DOT11_MODE_11a)
-			sap_ctx->channel = SAP_DEFAULT_5GHZ_CHANNEL;
-		else
-			sap_ctx->channel = SAP_DEFAULT_24GHZ_CHANNEL;
-#else
-		sap_ctx->channel = SAP_DEFAULT_24GHZ_CHANNEL;
-#endif
+		sap_ctx->channel =
+			sap_select_default_oper_chan(hal_handle,
+					sap_ctx->acs_cfg->hw_mode);
 		sap_ctx->sap_state = eSAP_ACS_CHANNEL_SELECTED;
 		sap_ctx->sap_status = eSAP_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 		goto close_session;
@@ -396,7 +391,9 @@ wlansap_pre_start_bss_acs_scan_callback(tHalHandle hal_handle, void *pcontext,
 		goto close_session;
 	} else {
 #else
-		sap_ctx->channel = SAP_DEFAULT_24GHZ_CHANNEL;
+		sap_ctx->channel =
+			sap_select_default_oper_chan(hal_handle,
+				sap_ctx->acs_cfg->hw_mode);
 	} else {
 #endif
 		/* Valid Channel Found from scan results. */
diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c b/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
index 32fca747bc2e..8eef7af80814 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
@@ -2089,6 +2089,28 @@ sap_dfs_is_channel_in_nol_list(ptSapContext sap_context,
 	return false;
 }
 
+/**
+ * sap_select_default_oper_chan() - Select operating channel based on acs hwmode
+ * @hal: pointer to HAL
+ * @acs_hwmode: HW mode of ACS
+ *
+ * Return: selected operating channel
+ */
+uint8_t sap_select_default_oper_chan(tHalHandle hal, uint32_t acs_hwmode)
+{
+	uint8_t channel;
+
+	if ((acs_hwmode == QCA_ACS_MODE_IEEE80211A) ||
+			(acs_hwmode == QCA_ACS_MODE_IEEE80211AD))
+		channel = SAP_DEFAULT_5GHZ_CHANNEL;
+	else
+		channel = SAP_DEFAULT_24GHZ_CHANNEL;
+
+	QDF_TRACE(QDF_MODULE_ID_SAP, QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_INFO,
+			FL("channel selected to start bss %d"), channel);
+	return channel;
+}
+
 /**
  * sap_goto_channel_sel - Function for initiating scan request for SME
  * @sap_context: Sap Context value.
@@ -2297,8 +2319,9 @@ QDF_STATUS sap_goto_channel_sel(ptSapContext sap_context,
 			QDF_TRACE(QDF_MODULE_ID_SAP, QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_INFO_HIGH,
 				  FL("SAP Configuring default channel, Ch=%d"),
 				  sap_context->channel);
-			/* In case of error, switch to default channel */
-			sap_context->channel = SAP_DEFAULT_24GHZ_CHANNEL;
+			sap_context->channel =
+				sap_select_default_oper_chan(h_hal,
+					sap_context->acs_cfg->hw_mode);
 
 #ifdef SOFTAP_CHANNEL_RANGE
 			if (sap_context->channelList != NULL) {
diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h b/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h
index e8e50f6350ed..dc52e2fe304c 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_internal.h
@@ -434,4 +434,5 @@ QDF_STATUS sap_close_session(tHalHandle hHal,
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
+uint8_t sap_select_default_oper_chan(tHalHandle hal, uint32_t acs_hwmode);
 #endif