diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c
index da14cfda0528..614e02dbb6f9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.c
@@ -1229,6 +1229,8 @@ int ath12k_wmi_vdev_start(struct ath12k *ar, struct wmi_vdev_start_req_arg *arg,
 						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_MCAST_VDEV) |
 				   le32_encode_bits(arg->ml.link_add,
 						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_LINK_ADD) |
+				   le32_encode_bits(arg->ml.assoc_link,
+						    ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_START_AS_ACTIVE) |
 				   cpu_to_le32(ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_IEEE_LINK_IDX_VALID);
 
 		ml_params->ieee_link_id = cpu_to_le32(arg->ml.ieee_link_id);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h
index 51f3426e1fcd..20e3939e8820 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/wmi.h
@@ -2954,6 +2954,7 @@ 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)
 #define ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_IEEE_LINK_IDX_VALID		BIT(18)
 #define ATH12K_WMI_FLAG_MLO_IEEE_LINK_IDX_VALID_PARTNER	BIT(19)