diff --git a/src/netdev.c b/src/netdev.c
index d36e6d8c..85e65983 100644
--- a/src/netdev.c
+++ b/src/netdev.c
@@ -1230,12 +1230,8 @@ static void netdev_cmd_connect_cb(struct l_genl_msg *msg, void *user_data)
 		 * events can be reversed (e.g. connect_event, then PAE data)
 		 * due to scheduling
 		 */
-		if (netdev->handshake) {
-			if (!netdev->sm)
-				netdev->sm = eapol_sm_new(netdev->handshake);
-
+		if (netdev->sm)
 			eapol_register(netdev->sm);
-		}
 
 		return;
 	}
@@ -1396,6 +1392,8 @@ int netdev_connect(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
 				netdev_connect_cb_t cb, void *user_data)
 {
 	struct l_genl_msg *cmd_connect;
+	struct eapol_sm *sm = NULL;
+	bool is_rsn = hs != NULL;
 
 	if (netdev->connected)
 		return -EISCONN;
@@ -1404,14 +1402,19 @@ int netdev_connect(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
 	if (!cmd_connect)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	return netdev_connect_common(netdev, cmd_connect, bss, hs, NULL, mde,
+	if (is_rsn)
+		sm = eapol_sm_new(hs);
+
+	return netdev_connect_common(netdev, cmd_connect, bss, hs, sm, mde,
 						event_filter, cb, user_data);
 }
 
 int netdev_connect_wsc(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
-				struct handshake_state *hs, struct eapol_sm *sm,
+				struct handshake_state *hs,
 				netdev_event_func_t event_filter,
-				netdev_connect_cb_t cb, void *user_data)
+				netdev_connect_cb_t cb,
+				netdev_eapol_event_func_t eapol_cb,
+				void *user_data)
 {
 	struct l_genl_msg *cmd_connect;
 	struct wsc_association_request request;
@@ -1419,6 +1422,7 @@ int netdev_connect_wsc(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
 	size_t pdu_len;
 	void *ie;
 	size_t ie_len;
+	struct eapol_sm *sm;
 
 	if (netdev->connected)
 		return -EISCONN;
@@ -1443,6 +1447,10 @@ int netdev_connect_wsc(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
 	l_genl_msg_append_attr(cmd_connect, NL80211_ATTR_IE, ie_len, ie);
 	l_free(ie);
 
+	sm = eapol_sm_new(hs);
+	eapol_sm_set_user_data(sm, user_data);
+	eapol_sm_set_event_func(sm, eapol_cb);
+
 	return netdev_connect_common(netdev, cmd_connect, bss, hs, sm, NULL,
 						event_filter, cb, user_data);
 
diff --git a/src/netdev.h b/src/netdev.h
index c7e90948..ab7929e3 100644
--- a/src/netdev.h
+++ b/src/netdev.h
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ typedef void (*netdev_watch_func_t)(struct netdev *netdev,
 typedef void (*netdev_set_powered_cb_t)(struct netdev *netdev, int result,
 					void *user_data);
 typedef void (*netdev_destroy_func_t)(void *user_data);
+typedef void (*netdev_eapol_event_func_t)(unsigned int event,
+					const void *event_data,
+					void *user_data);
 
 const uint8_t *netdev_get_address(struct netdev *netdev);
 uint32_t netdev_get_ifindex(struct netdev *netdev);
@@ -78,9 +81,11 @@ int netdev_connect(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
 				netdev_event_func_t event_filter,
 				netdev_connect_cb_t cb, void *user_data);
 int netdev_connect_wsc(struct netdev *netdev, struct scan_bss *bss,
-				struct handshake_state *hs, struct eapol_sm *sm,
+				struct handshake_state *hs,
 				netdev_event_func_t event_filter,
-				netdev_connect_cb_t cb, void *user_data);
+				netdev_connect_cb_t cb,
+				netdev_eapol_event_func_t eapol_cb,
+				void *user_data);
 int netdev_disconnect(struct netdev *netdev,
 				netdev_disconnect_cb_t cb, void *user_data);
 
diff --git a/src/wsc.c b/src/wsc.c
index aab826b4..71b7091b 100644
--- a/src/wsc.c
+++ b/src/wsc.c
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 #include "src/util.h"
 #include "src/wsc.h"
 #include "src/handshake.h"
-#include "src/eapol.h"
 #include "src/eap-wsc.h"
 #include "src/crypto.h"
 #include "src/common.h"
@@ -396,7 +395,6 @@ static inline enum wsc_rf_band freq_to_rf_band(uint32_t freq)
 static void wsc_connect(struct wsc *wsc)
 {
 	struct handshake_state *hs;
-	struct eapol_sm *sm;
 	struct l_settings *settings = l_settings_new();
 	struct scan_bss *bss = wsc->target;
 	uint32_t ifindex = netdev_get_ifindex(device_get_netdev(wsc->device));
@@ -405,11 +403,6 @@ static void wsc_connect(struct wsc *wsc)
 
 	hs = handshake_state_new(ifindex);
 
-	sm = eapol_sm_new(hs);
-
-	eapol_sm_set_user_data(sm, wsc);
-	eapol_sm_set_event_func(sm, wsc_eapol_event);
-
 	l_settings_set_string(settings, "Security", "EAP-Identity",
 					"WFA-SimpleConfig-Enrollee-1-0");
 	l_settings_set_string(settings, "Security", "EAP-Method", "WSC");
@@ -428,12 +421,9 @@ static void wsc_connect(struct wsc *wsc)
 	handshake_state_set_8021x_config(hs, settings);
 	wsc->eap_settings = settings;
 
-	eapol_sm_set_use_eapol_start(sm, true);
-
-	if (netdev_connect_wsc(device_get_netdev(wsc->device), bss, hs, sm,
-					wsc_netdev_event,
-					wsc_connect_cb, wsc) < 0) {
-		eapol_sm_free(sm);
+	if (netdev_connect_wsc(device_get_netdev(wsc->device), bss, hs,
+					wsc_netdev_event, wsc_connect_cb,
+					wsc_eapol_event, wsc) < 0) {
 		dbus_pending_reply(&wsc->pending,
 					dbus_error_failed(wsc->pending));
 		return;