diff --git a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_mlm_rsp_messages.c b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_mlm_rsp_messages.c
index a46bdbc16831..161cb2a33862 100644
--- a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_mlm_rsp_messages.c
+++ b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_mlm_rsp_messages.c
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ void lim_process_mlm_start_cnf(struct mac_context *mac, uint32_t *msg_buf)
 			lim_enable_obss_detection_config(mac, pe_session);
 			lim_send_obss_color_collision_cfg(mac, pe_session,
 					OBSS_COLOR_COLLISION_DETECTION);
+		} else {
+			lim_sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(pe_session);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_send_sme_rsp_messages.c b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_send_sme_rsp_messages.c
index 76f8de048442..6663cc575602 100644
--- a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_send_sme_rsp_messages.c
+++ b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_send_sme_rsp_messages.c
@@ -1962,6 +1962,11 @@ lim_send_sme_ap_channel_switch_resp(struct mac_context *mac,
 	mmhMsg.bodyval = 0;
 	lim_sys_process_mmh_msg_api(mac, &mmhMsg);
 
+	if (QDF_IS_STATUS_ERROR(pChnlParams->status)) {
+		pe_err("failed to change sap channel to %u", channelId);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * We should start beacon transmission only if the new
 	 * channel after channel change is Non-DFS. For a DFS
@@ -1985,7 +1990,10 @@ lim_send_sme_ap_channel_switch_resp(struct mac_context *mac,
 			is_ch_dfs = true;
 	}
 
-	if (!is_ch_dfs) {
+	if (is_ch_dfs) {
+		lim_sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(pe_session);
+
+	} else {
 		if (channelId == wlan_reg_freq_to_chan(
 				mac->pdev, pe_session->curr_op_freq)) {
 			lim_apply_configuration(mac, pe_session);
diff --git a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.c b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.c
index 210650d67a47..f0f0d492717b 100644
--- a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.c
+++ b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.c
@@ -8013,6 +8013,17 @@ void lim_ndi_mlme_vdev_up_transition(struct pe_session *session)
 				      sizeof(*session), session);
 }
 
+QDF_STATUS lim_sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(struct pe_session *session)
+{
+	QDF_STATUS status;
+
+	status =
+		wlan_vdev_mlme_sm_deliver_evt(session->vdev,
+					      WLAN_VDEV_SM_EV_DFS_CAC_WAIT,
+					      sizeof(*session), session);
+	return status;
+}
+
 QDF_STATUS lim_ap_mlme_vdev_start_send(struct vdev_mlme_obj *vdev_mlme,
 				       uint16_t data_len, void *data)
 {
diff --git a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.h b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.h
index 77bc75e3fa0d..9c0f053606a4 100644
--- a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.h
+++ b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_utils.h
@@ -1530,6 +1530,14 @@ void lim_send_beacon(struct mac_context *mac_ctx, struct pe_session *session);
  */
 void lim_ndi_mlme_vdev_up_transition(struct pe_session *session);
 
+/**
+ * lim_sap_move_to_cac_wait_state() - move to cac wait state
+ * @sap_ctx: SAP context
+ *
+ * Return: QDF_STATUS
+ */
+QDF_STATUS lim_sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(struct pe_session *session);
+
 /**
  * lim_disconnect_complete - Deliver vdev disconnect complete event or
  * STA send deleting bss
diff --git a/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c b/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
index 52194e3cd7ee..828373b859fb 100644
--- a/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
+++ b/core/sap/src/sap_fsm.c
@@ -2321,23 +2321,6 @@ static QDF_STATUS sap_goto_starting(struct sap_context *sap_ctx,
 	return qdf_status;
 }
 
-/**
- * sap_move_to_cac_wait_state() - move to cac wait state
- * @sap_ctx: SAP context
- *
- * Return: QDF_STATUS
- */
-static QDF_STATUS sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(struct sap_context *sap_ctx)
-{
-	QDF_STATUS status;
-
-	status =
-	     wlan_vdev_mlme_sm_deliver_evt(sap_ctx->vdev,
-					   WLAN_VDEV_SM_EV_DFS_CAC_WAIT,
-					   0, NULL);
-	return status;
-}
-
 /**
  * sap_fsm_cac_start() - start cac wait timer
  * @sap_ctx: SAP context
@@ -2359,8 +2342,6 @@ static QDF_STATUS sap_fsm_cac_start(struct sap_context *sap_ctx,
 			  FL("sapdfs: starting dfs cac timer on sapctx[%pK]"),
 			  sap_ctx);
 		sap_start_dfs_cac_timer(sap_ctx);
-	} else {
-		sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(sap_ctx);
 	}
 
 	return sap_cac_start_notify(mac_handle);
@@ -3690,8 +3671,6 @@ static int sap_start_dfs_cac_timer(struct sap_context *sap_ctx)
 		QDF_TRACE(QDF_MODULE_ID_SAP, QDF_TRACE_LEVEL_DEBUG,
 			  "%s: cac timer offloaded to firmware", __func__);
 		mac->sap.SapDfsInfo.is_dfs_cac_timer_running = true;
-		sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(sap_ctx);
-
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -3720,11 +3699,7 @@ static int sap_start_dfs_cac_timer(struct sap_context *sap_ctx)
 	}
 
 	mac->sap.SapDfsInfo.is_dfs_cac_timer_running = true;
-	status = sap_move_to_cac_wait_state(sap_ctx);
-	if (QDF_IS_STATUS_ERROR(status)) {
-		qdf_mc_timer_stop(&mac->sap.SapDfsInfo.sap_dfs_cac_timer);
-		goto destroy_timer;
-	}
+
 	return 0;
 
 destroy_timer: