diff --git a/src/netdev.c b/src/netdev.c
index b389c920..f0e6d828 100644
--- a/src/netdev.c
+++ b/src/netdev.c
@@ -2577,10 +2577,12 @@ static void netdev_sae_complete(uint16_t status, void *user_data)
 	struct iovec iov[3];
 	int iov_elems = 0;
 
+	sae_sm_free(netdev->sae_sm);
+	netdev->sae_sm = NULL;
+
 	if (status != 0) {
 		l_error("SAE exchange failed on %u result %u",
 				netdev->index, status);
-		netdev->sae_sm = NULL;
 		goto auth_failed;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/sae.c b/src/sae.c
index 446c7c62..49089adf 100644
--- a/src/sae.c
+++ b/src/sae.c
@@ -157,8 +157,6 @@ static bool sae_cn(const uint8_t *kck, uint16_t send_confirm,
 static void sae_authentication_failed(struct sae_sm *sm, uint16_t reason)
 {
 	sm->complete(reason, sm->user_data);
-
-	sae_sm_free(sm);
 }
 
 static void sae_reject_authentication(struct sae_sm *sm, uint16_t reason)