diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
index 29da3fe2b953..5de95408e6e3 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
@@ -1614,8 +1614,9 @@ static int hci_explicit_conn_params_set(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 		if (!params)
 			return -ENOMEM;
 
-		/* If we created new params, mark them to be deleted in
-		 * hci_connect_le_scan_cleanup. It's different case than
+		/* If we created new params, mark them to be deleted once the
+		 * explicit connect is done, see le_conn_complete_evt() and
+		 * hci_connect_le_scan_cleanup(). It's different case than
 		 * existing disabled params, those will stay after cleanup.
 		 */
 		params->auto_connect = HCI_AUTO_CONN_EXPLICIT;
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
index 1f80f2cf6b2c..dede0b686c13 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
@@ -6041,6 +6041,28 @@ static void le_conn_complete_evt(struct hci_dev *hdev, u8 status,
 			hci_conn_put(params->conn);
 			params->conn = NULL;
 		}
+
+		/* An explicit connect request is complete once connected, so
+		 * clean it up here: hci_connect_le_scan_cleanup() no longer
+		 * finds the params since they have just been removed from
+		 * pend_le_conns.
+		 */
+		if (params->explicit_connect) {
+			params->explicit_connect = false;
+
+			switch (params->auto_connect) {
+			case HCI_AUTO_CONN_EXPLICIT:
+				hci_conn_params_del(hdev, &conn->dst,
+						    conn->dst_type);
+				break;
+			case HCI_AUTO_CONN_REPORT:
+				hci_pend_le_list_add(params,
+						     &hdev->pend_le_reports);
+				break;
+			default:
+				break;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* If we are central and have subrate parameters stored, queue a