diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c
index 7617fc3a2479c..7a4fd03a37b1c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c
@@ -1170,7 +1170,9 @@ int ath12k_wmi_vdev_start(struct ath12k *ar, struct wmi_vdev_start_req_arg *arg,
 				   le32_encode_bits(arg->ml.mcast_link,
 						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_MCAST_VDEV) |
 				   le32_encode_bits(arg->ml.link_add,
-						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_LINK_ADD);
+						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_LINK_ADD) |
+				   le32_encode_bits(arg->ml.assoc_link,
+						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_START_AS_ACTIVE);
 
 		ath12k_dbg(ar->ab, ATH12K_DBG_WMI, "vdev %d start ml flags 0x%x\n",
 			   arg->vdev_id, ml_params->flags);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h
index 0d78eb204d8eb..c3844e91afbde 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h
@@ -2930,6 +2930,7 @@ struct wmi_vdev_create_mlo_params {
 #define ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_EMLSR_SUPPORT		BIT(6)
 #define ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_FORCED_INACTIVE		BIT(7)
 #define ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_LINK_ADD			BIT(8)
+#define ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_START_AS_ACTIVE		BIT(17)
 
 struct wmi_vdev_start_mlo_params {
 	__le32 tlv_header;