diff --git a/wpa_supplicant/mesh.c b/wpa_supplicant/mesh.c
index b559aafb4..302ef7612 100644
--- a/wpa_supplicant/mesh.c
+++ b/wpa_supplicant/mesh.c
@@ -203,6 +203,14 @@ static int wpas_mesh_complete(struct wpa_supplicant *wpa_s)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	if (ifmsh->mconf->security != MESH_CONF_SEC_NONE &&
+	    wpas_mesh_init_rsn(wpa_s)) {
+		wpa_printf(MSG_ERROR,
+			   "mesh: RSN initialization failed - deinit mesh");
+		wpa_supplicant_mesh_deinit(wpa_s);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	if (ssid->key_mgmt & WPA_KEY_MGMT_SAE) {
 		wpa_s->pairwise_cipher = wpa_s->mesh_rsn->pairwise_cipher;
 		wpa_s->group_cipher = wpa_s->mesh_rsn->group_cipher;
@@ -375,9 +383,6 @@ static int wpa_supplicant_mesh_init(struct wpa_supplicant *wpa_s,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (mconf->security != MESH_CONF_SEC_NONE && wpas_mesh_init_rsn(wpa_s))
-		goto out_free;
-
 	wpa_supplicant_conf_ap_ht(wpa_s, ssid, conf);
 
 	return 0;