diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
index 8aa2b4fae79b..14f2947600dc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
@@ -7386,6 +7386,30 @@ static int ath11k_mac_start_vdev_delay(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int ath11k_mac_stop_vdev_early(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
+				      struct ieee80211_vif *vif)
+{
+	struct ath11k *ar = hw->priv;
+	struct ath11k_base *ab = ar->ab;
+	struct ath11k_vif *arvif = ath11k_vif_to_arvif(vif);
+	int ret;
+
+	if (WARN_ON(!arvif->is_started))
+		return -EBUSY;
+
+	ret = ath11k_mac_vdev_stop(arvif);
+	if (ret) {
+		ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to stop vdev %i: %d\n",
+			    arvif->vdev_id, ret);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	arvif->is_started = false;
+
+	/* TODO: Setup ps and cts/rts protection */
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static u8 ath11k_mac_get_tpe_count(u8 txpwr_intrprt, u8 txpwr_cnt)
 {
 	switch (txpwr_intrprt) {
@@ -7920,15 +7944,17 @@ ath11k_mac_op_assign_vif_chanctx(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	ret = ath11k_mac_vdev_start(arvif, ctx);
-	if (ret) {
-		ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to start vdev %i addr %pM on freq %d: %d\n",
-			    arvif->vdev_id, vif->addr,
-			    ctx->def.chan->center_freq, ret);
-		goto out;
-	}
+	if (!arvif->is_started) {
+		ret = ath11k_mac_vdev_start(arvif, ctx);
+		if (ret) {
+			ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to start vdev %i addr %pM on freq %d: %d\n",
+				    arvif->vdev_id, vif->addr,
+				    ctx->def.chan->center_freq, ret);
+			goto out;
+		}
 
-	arvif->is_started = true;
+		arvif->is_started = true;
+	}
 
 	if (arvif->vdev_type != WMI_VDEV_TYPE_MONITOR &&
 	    test_bit(ATH11K_FLAG_MONITOR_VDEV_CREATED, &ar->monitor_flags)) {
@@ -7968,8 +7994,6 @@ ath11k_mac_op_unassign_vif_chanctx(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 		   "chanctx unassign ptr %p vdev_id %i\n",
 		   ctx, arvif->vdev_id);
 
-	WARN_ON(!arvif->is_started);
-
 	if (ab->hw_params.vdev_start_delay &&
 	    arvif->vdev_type == WMI_VDEV_TYPE_MONITOR) {
 		spin_lock_bh(&ab->base_lock);
@@ -7993,24 +8017,13 @@ ath11k_mac_op_unassign_vif_chanctx(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	ret = ath11k_mac_vdev_stop(arvif);
-	if (ret)
-		ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to stop vdev %i: %d\n",
-			    arvif->vdev_id, ret);
-
-	arvif->is_started = false;
-
-	if (ab->hw_params.vdev_start_delay &&
-	    arvif->vdev_type == WMI_VDEV_TYPE_STA) {
-		ret = ath11k_peer_delete(ar, arvif->vdev_id, arvif->bssid);
+	if (arvif->is_started) {
+		ret = ath11k_mac_vdev_stop(arvif);
 		if (ret)
-			ath11k_warn(ar->ab,
-				    "failed to delete peer %pM for vdev %d: %d\n",
-				    arvif->bssid, arvif->vdev_id, ret);
-		else
-			ath11k_dbg(ar->ab, ATH11K_DBG_MAC,
-				   "removed peer %pM  vdev %d after vdev stop\n",
-				   arvif->bssid, arvif->vdev_id);
+			ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to stop vdev %i: %d\n",
+				    arvif->vdev_id, ret);
+
+		arvif->is_started = false;
 	}
 
 	if (ab->hw_params.vdev_start_delay &&
@@ -9462,6 +9475,46 @@ static int ath11k_mac_station_add(struct ath11k *ar,
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static int ath11k_mac_station_remove(struct ath11k *ar,
+				     struct ieee80211_vif *vif,
+				     struct ieee80211_sta *sta)
+{
+	struct ath11k_base *ab = ar->ab;
+	struct ath11k_vif *arvif = ath11k_vif_to_arvif(vif);
+	struct ath11k_sta *arsta = ath11k_sta_to_arsta(sta);
+	int ret;
+
+	if (ab->hw_params.vdev_start_delay &&
+	    arvif->is_started &&
+	    arvif->vdev_type != WMI_VDEV_TYPE_AP) {
+		ret = ath11k_mac_stop_vdev_early(ar->hw, vif);
+		if (ret) {
+			ath11k_warn(ab, "failed to do early vdev stop: %d\n", ret);
+			return ret;
+		}
+	}
+
+	ath11k_dp_peer_cleanup(ar, arvif->vdev_id, sta->addr);
+
+	ret = ath11k_peer_delete(ar, arvif->vdev_id, sta->addr);
+	if (ret)
+		ath11k_warn(ab, "Failed to delete peer: %pM for VDEV: %d\n",
+			    sta->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
+	else
+		ath11k_dbg(ab, ATH11K_DBG_MAC, "Removed peer: %pM for VDEV: %d\n",
+			   sta->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
+
+	ath11k_mac_dec_num_stations(arvif, sta);
+
+	kfree(arsta->tx_stats);
+	arsta->tx_stats = NULL;
+
+	kfree(arsta->rx_stats);
+	arsta->rx_stats = NULL;
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static int ath11k_mac_op_sta_state(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 				   struct ieee80211_vif *vif,
 				   struct ieee80211_sta *sta,
@@ -9497,31 +9550,15 @@ static int ath11k_mac_op_sta_state(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 				    sta->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
 	} else if ((old_state == IEEE80211_STA_NONE &&
 		    new_state == IEEE80211_STA_NOTEXIST)) {
-		bool skip_peer_delete = ar->ab->hw_params.vdev_start_delay &&
-			vif->type == NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION;
-
-		ath11k_dp_peer_cleanup(ar, arvif->vdev_id, sta->addr);
-
-		if (!skip_peer_delete) {
-			ret = ath11k_peer_delete(ar, arvif->vdev_id, sta->addr);
-			if (ret)
-				ath11k_warn(ar->ab,
-					    "Failed to delete peer: %pM for VDEV: %d\n",
-					    sta->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
-			else
-				ath11k_dbg(ar->ab,
-					   ATH11K_DBG_MAC,
-					   "Removed peer: %pM for VDEV: %d\n",
-					   sta->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
-		}
+		ret = ath11k_mac_station_remove(ar, vif, sta);
+		if (ret)
+			ath11k_warn(ar->ab, "Failed to remove station: %pM for VDEV: %d\n",
+				    sta->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
 
-		ath11k_mac_dec_num_stations(arvif, sta);
 		mutex_lock(&ar->ab->tbl_mtx_lock);
 		spin_lock_bh(&ar->ab->base_lock);
 		peer = ath11k_peer_find(ar->ab, arvif->vdev_id, sta->addr);
-		if (skip_peer_delete && peer) {
-			peer->sta = NULL;
-		} else if (peer && peer->sta == sta) {
+		if (peer && peer->sta == sta) {
 			ath11k_warn(ar->ab, "Found peer entry %pM n vdev %i after it was supposedly removed\n",
 				    vif->addr, arvif->vdev_id);
 			ath11k_peer_rhash_delete(ar->ab, peer);
@@ -9532,12 +9569,6 @@ static int ath11k_mac_op_sta_state(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 		}
 		spin_unlock_bh(&ar->ab->base_lock);
 		mutex_unlock(&ar->ab->tbl_mtx_lock);
-
-		kfree(arsta->tx_stats);
-		arsta->tx_stats = NULL;
-
-		kfree(arsta->rx_stats);
-		arsta->rx_stats = NULL;
 	} else if (old_state == IEEE80211_STA_AUTH &&
 		   new_state == IEEE80211_STA_ASSOC &&
 		   (vif->type == NL80211_IFTYPE_AP ||
