diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/main.c
index 629ddfd74da1..9aaf6f747333 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/main.c
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ static void wcn36xx_change_opchannel(struct wcn36xx *wcn, int ch)
 static int wcn36xx_config(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, u32 changed)
 {
 	struct wcn36xx *wcn = hw->priv;
+	int ret;
 
 	wcn36xx_dbg(WCN36XX_DBG_MAC, "mac config changed 0x%08x\n", changed);
 
@@ -412,17 +413,31 @@ static int wcn36xx_config(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, u32 changed)
 			 * want to receive/transmit regular data packets, then
 			 * simply stop the scan session and exit PS mode.
 			 */
-			wcn36xx_smd_finish_scan(wcn, HAL_SYS_MODE_SCAN,
-						wcn->sw_scan_vif);
-			wcn->sw_scan_channel = 0;
+			if (wcn->sw_scan_channel)
+				wcn36xx_smd_end_scan(wcn, wcn->sw_scan_channel);
+			if (wcn->sw_scan_init) {
+				wcn36xx_smd_finish_scan(wcn, HAL_SYS_MODE_SCAN,
+							wcn->sw_scan_vif);
+			}
 		} else if (wcn->sw_scan) {
 			/* A scan is ongoing, do not change the operating
 			 * channel, but start a scan session on the channel.
 			 */
-			wcn36xx_smd_init_scan(wcn, HAL_SYS_MODE_SCAN,
-					      wcn->sw_scan_vif);
+			if (wcn->sw_scan_channel)
+				wcn36xx_smd_end_scan(wcn, wcn->sw_scan_channel);
+			if (!wcn->sw_scan_init) {
+				/* This can fail if we are unable to notify the
+				 * operating channel.
+				 */
+				ret = wcn36xx_smd_init_scan(wcn,
+							    HAL_SYS_MODE_SCAN,
+							    wcn->sw_scan_vif);
+				if (ret) {
+					mutex_unlock(&wcn->conf_mutex);
+					return -EIO;
+				}
+			}
 			wcn36xx_smd_start_scan(wcn, ch);
-			wcn->sw_scan_channel = ch;
 		} else {
 			wcn36xx_change_opchannel(wcn, ch);
 		}
@@ -709,7 +724,12 @@ static void wcn36xx_sw_scan_complete(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	struct wcn36xx *wcn = hw->priv;
 
 	/* ensure that any scan session is finished */
-	wcn36xx_smd_finish_scan(wcn, HAL_SYS_MODE_SCAN, wcn->sw_scan_vif);
+	if (wcn->sw_scan_channel)
+		wcn36xx_smd_end_scan(wcn, wcn->sw_scan_channel);
+	if (wcn->sw_scan_init) {
+		wcn36xx_smd_finish_scan(wcn, HAL_SYS_MODE_SCAN,
+					wcn->sw_scan_vif);
+	}
 	wcn->sw_scan = false;
 	wcn->sw_scan_opchannel = 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/smd.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/smd.c
index 3793907ace92..ad312e17f7a3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/smd.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/smd.c
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ int wcn36xx_smd_init_scan(struct wcn36xx *wcn, enum wcn36xx_hal_sys_mode mode,
 		wcn36xx_err("hal_init_scan response failed err=%d\n", ret);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	wcn->sw_scan_init = true;
 out:
 	mutex_unlock(&wcn->hal_mutex);
 	return ret;
@@ -760,6 +761,7 @@ int wcn36xx_smd_start_scan(struct wcn36xx *wcn, u8 scan_channel)
 		wcn36xx_err("hal_start_scan response failed err=%d\n", ret);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	wcn->sw_scan_channel = scan_channel;
 out:
 	mutex_unlock(&wcn->hal_mutex);
 	return ret;
@@ -790,6 +792,7 @@ int wcn36xx_smd_end_scan(struct wcn36xx *wcn, u8 scan_channel)
 		wcn36xx_err("hal_end_scan response failed err=%d\n", ret);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	wcn->sw_scan_channel = 0;
 out:
 	mutex_unlock(&wcn->hal_mutex);
 	return ret;
@@ -831,6 +834,7 @@ int wcn36xx_smd_finish_scan(struct wcn36xx *wcn,
 		wcn36xx_err("hal_finish_scan response failed err=%d\n", ret);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	wcn->sw_scan_init = false;
 out:
 	mutex_unlock(&wcn->hal_mutex);
 	return ret;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/wcn36xx.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/wcn36xx.h
index 9b4dee2fc648..5c40d0bdee24 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/wcn36xx.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wcn36xx/wcn36xx.h
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ struct wcn36xx {
 	struct cfg80211_scan_request *scan_req;
 	bool			sw_scan;
 	u8			sw_scan_opchannel;
+	bool			sw_scan_init;
 	u8			sw_scan_channel;
 	struct ieee80211_vif	*sw_scan_vif;
 	struct mutex		scan_lock;