diff --git a/net/mac80211/mlme.c b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
index 298ebff6bbf8..0a0f27836d57 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/mlme.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
@@ -9149,7 +9149,7 @@ static int ieee80211_prep_connection(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	struct ieee80211_bss *bss = (void *)cbss->priv;
 	struct sta_info *new_sta = NULL;
 	struct ieee80211_link_data *link;
-	bool have_sta = false;
+	struct sta_info *have_sta = NULL;
 	bool mlo;
 	int err;
 	u16 new_links;
@@ -9168,11 +9168,8 @@ static int ieee80211_prep_connection(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		mlo = false;
 	}
 
-	if (assoc) {
-		rcu_read_lock();
+	if (assoc)
 		have_sta = sta_info_get(sdata, ap_mld_addr);
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-	}
 
 	if (mlo && !have_sta &&
 	    WARN_ON(sdata->vif.valid_links || sdata->vif.active_links))
@@ -9336,6 +9333,8 @@ static int ieee80211_prep_connection(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 out_release_chan:
 	ieee80211_link_release_channel(link);
 out_err:
+	if (mlo && have_sta)
+		WARN_ON(__sta_info_destroy(have_sta));
 	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
 	return err;
 }