diff --git a/src/ap/ap_list.c b/src/ap/ap_list.c
index 165cb16a0..933b15850 100644
--- a/src/ap/ap_list.c
+++ b/src/ap/ap_list.c
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ void ap_list_process_beacon(struct hostapd_iface *iface,
 #endif /* CONFIG_IEEE80211N */
 
 	if (set_beacon)
-		ieee802_11_set_beacons(iface);
+		ieee802_11_update_beacons(iface);
 }
 
 
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ static void ap_list_timer(void *eloop_ctx, void *timeout_ctx)
 	}
 
 	if (set_beacon)
-		ieee802_11_set_beacons(iface);
+		ieee802_11_update_beacons(iface);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/ap/beacon.c b/src/ap/beacon.c
index 5efa4cdf9..0253663d0 100644
--- a/src/ap/beacon.c
+++ b/src/ap/beacon.c
@@ -700,4 +700,14 @@ void ieee802_11_set_beacons(struct hostapd_iface *iface)
 		ieee802_11_set_beacon(iface->bss[i]);
 }
 
+
+/* only update beacons if started */
+void ieee802_11_update_beacons(struct hostapd_iface *iface)
+{
+	size_t i;
+	for (i = 0; i < iface->num_bss; i++)
+		if (iface->bss[i]->beacon_set_done)
+			ieee802_11_set_beacon(iface->bss[i]);
+}
+
 #endif /* CONFIG_NATIVE_WINDOWS */
diff --git a/src/ap/beacon.h b/src/ap/beacon.h
index a944f5f35..0dd6021a8 100644
--- a/src/ap/beacon.h
+++ b/src/ap/beacon.h
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@ void handle_probe_req(struct hostapd_data *hapd,
 		      const struct ieee80211_mgmt *mgmt, size_t len);
 void ieee802_11_set_beacon(struct hostapd_data *hapd);
 void ieee802_11_set_beacons(struct hostapd_iface *iface);
+void ieee802_11_update_beacons(struct hostapd_iface *iface);
 
 #endif /* BEACON_H */