diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c
index 0e71935b2720..8a571a615313 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c
@@ -640,9 +640,49 @@ struct reserved_mem *ath12k_core_get_reserved_mem(struct ath12k_base *ab,
 	return rmem;
 }
 
+static inline
+void ath12k_core_to_group_ref_get(struct ath12k_base *ab)
+{
+	struct ath12k_hw_group *ag = ab->ag;
+
+	lockdep_assert_held(&ag->mutex);
+
+	if (ab->hw_group_ref) {
+		ath12k_dbg(ab, ATH12K_DBG_BOOT, "core already attached to group %d\n",
+			   ag->id);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	ab->hw_group_ref = true;
+	ag->num_started++;
+
+	ath12k_dbg(ab, ATH12K_DBG_BOOT, "core attached to group %d, num_started %d\n",
+		   ag->id, ag->num_started);
+}
+
+static inline
+void ath12k_core_to_group_ref_put(struct ath12k_base *ab)
+{
+	struct ath12k_hw_group *ag = ab->ag;
+
+	lockdep_assert_held(&ag->mutex);
+
+	if (!ab->hw_group_ref) {
+		ath12k_dbg(ab, ATH12K_DBG_BOOT, "core already de-attached from group %d\n",
+			   ag->id);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	ab->hw_group_ref = false;
+	ag->num_started--;
+
+	ath12k_dbg(ab, ATH12K_DBG_BOOT, "core de-attached from group %d, num_started %d\n",
+		   ag->id, ag->num_started);
+}
+
 static void ath12k_core_stop(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	ath12k_core_stopped(ab);
+	ath12k_core_to_group_ref_put(ab);
 
 	if (!test_bit(ATH12K_FLAG_CRASH_FLUSH, &ab->dev_flags))
 		ath12k_qmi_firmware_stop(ab);
@@ -879,9 +919,8 @@ static int ath12k_core_start(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 
 	ath12k_acpi_set_dsm_func(ab);
 
-	if (!test_bit(ATH12K_FLAG_RECOVERY, &ab->dev_flags))
-		/* Indicate the core start in the appropriate group */
-		ath12k_core_started(ab);
+	/* Indicate the core start in the appropriate group */
+	ath12k_core_to_group_ref_get(ab);
 
 	return 0;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.h
index ef5cf275b834..44e02ebb1071 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.h
@@ -1123,6 +1123,7 @@ struct ath12k_base {
 	struct ath12k_wsi_info wsi_info;
 	enum ath12k_firmware_mode fw_mode;
 	struct ath12k_ftm_event_obj ftm_event_obj;
+	bool hw_group_ref;
 
 	/* must be last */
 	u8 drv_priv[] __aligned(sizeof(void *));
@@ -1377,20 +1378,6 @@ static inline struct ath12k_hw_group *ath12k_ab_to_ag(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 	return ab->ag;
 }
 
-static inline void ath12k_core_started(struct ath12k_base *ab)
-{
-	lockdep_assert_held(&ab->ag->mutex);
-
-	ab->ag->num_started++;
-}
-
-static inline void ath12k_core_stopped(struct ath12k_base *ab)
-{
-	lockdep_assert_held(&ab->ag->mutex);
-
-	ab->ag->num_started--;
-}
-
 static inline struct ath12k_base *ath12k_ag_to_ab(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag,
 						  u8 device_id)
 {