diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c
index 51641c5ff265..1004c290e5d0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c
@@ -3533,11 +3533,16 @@ static void ath12k_peer_assoc_h_mlo(struct ath12k_link_sta *arsta,
 	struct ath12k_sta *ahsta = arsta->ahsta;
 	struct ath12k_link_sta *arsta_p;
 	struct ath12k_link_vif *arvif;
+	struct ath12k_hw *ah = arsta->arvif->ar->ah;
 	unsigned long links;
 	u8 link_id;
 	int i;
 
-	if (!sta->mlo || ahsta->ml_peer_id == ATH12K_MLO_PEER_ID_INVALID)
+	if (!sta->mlo)
+		return;
+
+	if (ah->host_alloc_ml_id &&
+	    ahsta->ml_peer_id == ATH12K_MLO_PEER_ID_INVALID)
 		return;
 
 	ml->enabled = true;
@@ -3545,16 +3550,25 @@ static void ath12k_peer_assoc_h_mlo(struct ath12k_link_sta *arsta,
 
 	/* For now considering the primary umac based on assoc link */
 	ml->primary_umac = arsta->is_assoc_link;
-	ml->peer_id_valid = true;
+	/*
+	 * Only chips that allocate the MLD peer ID on the host send a valid
+	 * ml_peer_id in WMI_PEER_ASSOC_CMDID. For chips where the firmware
+	 * picks the ID, leave peer_id_valid false to avoid unexpected issues.
+	 */
+	ml->peer_id_valid = ah->host_alloc_ml_id;
 	ml->logical_link_idx_valid = true;
 
 	ether_addr_copy(ml->mld_addr, sta->addr);
 	ml->logical_link_idx = arsta->link_idx;
 	/*
 	 * WMI_MLO_PEER_ASSOC_PARAMS expects the raw ML peer ID without
-	 * the host-side ATH12K_PEER_ML_ID_VALID bookkeeping bit.
+	 * the host-side ATH12K_PEER_ML_ID_VALID bookkeeping bit. For chips
+	 * where the firmware allocates the ID, the field is unused (the
+	 * firmware always allocates regardless of the value here); send 0
+	 * to make that intent explicit.
 	 */
-	ml->ml_peer_id = ahsta->ml_peer_id & ~ATH12K_PEER_ML_ID_VALID;
+	ml->ml_peer_id = ah->host_alloc_ml_id ?
+			 (ahsta->ml_peer_id & ~ATH12K_PEER_ML_ID_VALID) : 0;
 	ml->ieee_link_id = arsta->link_id;
 	ml->num_partner_links = 0;
 	ml->eml_cap = sta->eml_cap;