diff --git a/src/ap/hostapd.c b/src/ap/hostapd.c
index 323c02754..b1ae909a0 100644
--- a/src/ap/hostapd.c
+++ b/src/ap/hostapd.c
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ static void hostapd_link_remove_timeout_handler(void *eloop_data,
 	ieee802_11_set_beacon(hapd);
 
 	if (!hapd->eht_mld_link_removal_count) {
+		hostapd_free_link_stas(hapd);
 		hostapd_disable_iface(hapd->iface);
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/src/ap/sta_info.c b/src/ap/sta_info.c
index 23ed530fe..122880a3d 100644
--- a/src/ap/sta_info.c
+++ b/src/ap/sta_info.c
@@ -187,6 +187,19 @@ void ap_free_sta_pasn(struct hostapd_data *hapd, struct sta_info *sta)
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_PASN */
 
+
+static void __ap_free_sta(struct hostapd_data *hapd, struct sta_info *sta)
+{
+#ifdef CONFIG_IEEE80211BE
+	if (hostapd_sta_is_link_sta(hapd, sta) &&
+	    !hostapd_drv_link_sta_remove(hapd, sta->addr))
+		return;
+#endif /* CONFIG_IEEE80211BE */
+
+	hostapd_drv_sta_remove(hapd, sta->addr);
+}
+
+
 void ap_free_sta(struct hostapd_data *hapd, struct sta_info *sta)
 {
 	int set_beacon = 0;
@@ -209,7 +222,7 @@ void ap_free_sta(struct hostapd_data *hapd, struct sta_info *sta)
 
 	if (!hapd->iface->driver_ap_teardown &&
 	    !(sta->flags & WLAN_STA_PREAUTH)) {
-		hostapd_drv_sta_remove(hapd, sta->addr);
+		__ap_free_sta(hapd, sta);
 		sta->added_unassoc = 0;
 	}
 
@@ -454,6 +467,27 @@ void hostapd_free_stas(struct hostapd_data *hapd)
 }
 
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_IEEE80211BE
+void hostapd_free_link_stas(struct hostapd_data *hapd)
+{
+	struct sta_info *sta, *prev;
+
+	sta = hapd->sta_list;
+	while (sta) {
+		prev = sta;
+		sta = sta->next;
+
+		if (!hostapd_sta_is_link_sta(hapd, prev))
+			continue;
+
+		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "Removing link station from MLD " MACSTR,
+			   MAC2STR(prev->addr));
+		ap_free_sta(hapd, prev);
+	}
+}
+#endif /* CONFIG_IEEE80211BE */
+
+
 /**
  * ap_handle_timer - Per STA timer handler
  * @eloop_ctx: struct hostapd_data *
diff --git a/src/ap/sta_info.h b/src/ap/sta_info.h
index b136ff7bf..153e4a000 100644
--- a/src/ap/sta_info.h
+++ b/src/ap/sta_info.h
@@ -440,4 +440,6 @@ static inline void ap_sta_set_mld(struct sta_info *sta, bool mld)
 
 void ap_sta_free_sta_profile(struct mld_info *info);
 
+void hostapd_free_link_stas(struct hostapd_data *hapd);
+
 #endif /* STA_INFO_H */