diff --git a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_auth_frame.c b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_auth_frame.c
index 420e8cfc8a..b98f6531ea 100644
--- a/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_auth_frame.c
+++ b/core/mac/src/pe/lim/lim_process_auth_frame.c
@@ -277,6 +277,43 @@ static void lim_process_auth_open_system_algo(struct mac_context *mac_ctx,
 }
 
 #ifdef WLAN_FEATURE_SAE
+
+/**
+ * lim_external_auth_add_pre_auth_node()- Add preauth node for the peer
+ *					  performing external authentication
+ * @mac_ctx: MAC context
+ * @mac_hdr: Mac header of the packet
+ * @mlm_state: MLM state to be marked to track SAE authentication
+ *
+ * Return: None
+ */
+static void lim_external_auth_add_pre_auth_node(struct mac_context *mac_ctx,
+						tpSirMacMgmtHdr mac_hdr,
+						tLimMlmStates mlm_state)
+{
+	struct tLimPreAuthNode *auth_node;
+	tpLimPreAuthTable preauth_table = &mac_ctx->lim.gLimPreAuthTimerTable;
+
+	pe_debug("=======> eSIR_AUTH_TYPE_SAE");
+	/* Create entry for this STA in pre-auth list */
+	auth_node = lim_acquire_free_pre_auth_node(mac_ctx, preauth_table);
+	if (!auth_node) {
+		pe_debug("Max pre-auth nodes reached " QDF_MAC_ADDR_STR,
+			 QDF_MAC_ADDR_ARRAY(mac_hdr->sa));
+		return;
+	}
+	pe_debug("Creating preauth node for SAE peer " QDF_MAC_ADDR_STR,
+		 QDF_MAC_ADDR_ARRAY(mac_hdr->sa));
+	qdf_mem_copy((uint8_t *)auth_node->peerMacAddr,
+		     mac_hdr->sa, sizeof(tSirMacAddr));
+	auth_node->mlmState = mlm_state;
+	auth_node->authType = eSIR_AUTH_TYPE_SAE;
+	auth_node->timestamp = qdf_mc_timer_get_system_ticks();
+	auth_node->seq_num = ((mac_hdr->seqControl.seqNumHi << 4) |
+			      (mac_hdr->seqControl.seqNumLo));
+	lim_add_pre_auth_node(mac_ctx, auth_node);
+}
+
 /**
  * lim_process_sae_auth_frame()-Process SAE authentication frame
  * @mac_ctx: MAC context
@@ -305,14 +342,34 @@ static void lim_process_sae_auth_frame(struct mac_context *mac_ctx,
 		pe_err("SAE auth response for STA in unexpected state %x",
 		       pe_session->limMlmState);
 
-	if (LIM_IS_AP_ROLE(pe_session))
+	if (LIM_IS_AP_ROLE(pe_session)) {
+		struct tLimPreAuthNode *sta_pre_auth_ctx;
+
 		rx_flags = RXMGMT_FLAG_EXTERNAL_AUTH;
+		/* Add preauth node when the first SAE authentication frame
+		 * is received and mark state as authenticating.
+		 * It's not good to track SAE authentication frames with
+		 * authTransactionSeqNumber as it's subjected to
+		 * SAE protocol optimizations.
+		 */
+		/* Extract pre-auth context for the STA, if any. */
+		sta_pre_auth_ctx = lim_search_pre_auth_list(mac_ctx,
+							    mac_hdr->sa);
+		if (!sta_pre_auth_ctx ||
+		    (sta_pre_auth_ctx->mlmState != eLIM_MLM_WT_SAE_AUTH_STATE &&
+		     sta_pre_auth_ctx->mlmState !=
+		     eLIM_MLM_AUTHENTICATED_STATE)) {
+			lim_external_auth_add_pre_auth_node(mac_ctx, mac_hdr,
+						eLIM_MLM_WT_SAE_AUTH_STATE);
+		}
+	}
 
 	lim_send_sme_mgmt_frame_ind(mac_ctx, mac_hdr->fc.subType,
-			(uint8_t *) mac_hdr,
-			frame_len + sizeof(tSirMacMgmtHdr), 0,
-			WMA_GET_RX_CH(rx_pkt_info), pe_session,
-			WMA_GET_RX_RSSI_NORMALIZED(rx_pkt_info), rx_flags);
+				    (uint8_t *)mac_hdr,
+				    frame_len + sizeof(tSirMacMgmtHdr), 0,
+				    WMA_GET_RX_CH(rx_pkt_info), pe_session,
+				    WMA_GET_RX_RSSI_NORMALIZED(rx_pkt_info),
+				    rx_flags);
 }
 #else
 static inline void  lim_process_sae_auth_frame(struct mac_context *mac_ctx,