diff --git a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_ioctl.c b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_ioctl.c
index 2d82412ed3..013dcf6ef8 100644
--- a/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_ioctl.c
+++ b/core/hdd/src/wlan_hdd_ioctl.c
@@ -6396,6 +6396,11 @@ static int drv_cmd_set_channel_switch(struct wlan_hdd_link_info *link_info,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (!qdf_atomic_test_bit(SOFTAP_BSS_STARTED, &link_info->link_flags)) {
+		hdd_err("SAP not started");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	status = hdd_parse_set_channel_switch_command(value,
 							&chan_number, &chan_bw);
 	if (status) {