diff --git a/hostapd/ctrl_iface.c b/hostapd/ctrl_iface.c
index 0cbb48393..a2e7cc5de 100644
--- a/hostapd/ctrl_iface.c
+++ b/hostapd/ctrl_iface.c
@@ -989,7 +989,10 @@ int hostapd_ctrl_iface_init(struct hostapd_data *hapd)
 	int s = -1;
 	char *fname = NULL;
 
-	hapd->ctrl_sock = -1;
+	if (hapd->ctrl_sock > -1) {
+		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "ctrl_iface already exists!");
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	if (hapd->conf->ctrl_interface == NULL)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/ap/hostapd.c b/src/ap/hostapd.c
index c5cbdf702..aa57a14e6 100644
--- a/src/ap/hostapd.c
+++ b/src/ap/hostapd.c
@@ -857,6 +857,7 @@ hostapd_alloc_bss_data(struct hostapd_iface *hapd_iface,
 	hapd->conf = bss;
 	hapd->iface = hapd_iface;
 	hapd->driver = hapd->iconf->driver;
+	hapd->ctrl_sock = -1;
 
 	return hapd;
 }