diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
index e9b3689331ec2..89a64ebd620f3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/mac.c
@@ -6590,7 +6590,7 @@ static int __ath11k_mac_register(struct ath11k *ar)
 		ar->hw->wiphy->interface_modes &= ~BIT(NL80211_IFTYPE_MONITOR);
 
 	/* Apply the regd received during initialization */
-	ret = ath11k_regd_update(ar, true);
+	ret = ath11k_regd_update(ar);
 	if (ret) {
 		ath11k_err(ar->ab, "ath11k regd update failed: %d\n", ret);
 		goto err_unregister_hw;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.c
index e1a1df169034b..92c59009a8ac2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static void ath11k_copy_regd(struct ieee80211_regdomain *regd_orig,
 		       sizeof(struct ieee80211_reg_rule));
 }
 
-int ath11k_regd_update(struct ath11k *ar, bool init)
+int ath11k_regd_update(struct ath11k *ar)
 {
 	struct ieee80211_regdomain *regd, *regd_copy = NULL;
 	int ret, regd_len, pdev_id;
@@ -209,7 +209,10 @@ int ath11k_regd_update(struct ath11k *ar, bool init)
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&ab->base_lock);
 
-	if (init) {
+	/* Prefer the latest regd update over default if it's available */
+	if (ab->new_regd[pdev_id]) {
+		regd = ab->new_regd[pdev_id];
+	} else {
 		/* Apply the regd received during init through
 		 * WMI_REG_CHAN_LIST_CC event. In case of failure to
 		 * receive the regd, initialize with a default world
@@ -222,8 +225,6 @@ int ath11k_regd_update(struct ath11k *ar, bool init)
 				    "failed to receive default regd during init\n");
 			regd = (struct ieee80211_regdomain *)&ath11k_world_regd;
 		}
-	} else {
-		regd = ab->new_regd[pdev_id];
 	}
 
 	if (!regd) {
@@ -683,7 +684,7 @@ void ath11k_regd_update_work(struct work_struct *work)
 					 regd_update_work);
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = ath11k_regd_update(ar, false);
+	ret = ath11k_regd_update(ar);
 	if (ret) {
 		/* Firmware has already moved to the new regd. We need
 		 * to maintain channel consistency across FW, Host driver
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.h
index 65d56d44796f6..5fb9dc03a74e8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/reg.h
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ void ath11k_regd_update_work(struct work_struct *work);
 struct ieee80211_regdomain *
 ath11k_reg_build_regd(struct ath11k_base *ab,
 		      struct cur_regulatory_info *reg_info, bool intersect);
-int ath11k_regd_update(struct ath11k *ar, bool init);
+int ath11k_regd_update(struct ath11k *ar);
 int ath11k_reg_update_chan_list(struct ath11k *ar);
 #endif
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/wmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/wmi.c
index 72da1283f2ccb..a53eef8e2631c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/wmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/wmi.c
@@ -5841,10 +5841,10 @@ static int ath11k_reg_chan_list_event(struct ath11k_base *ab, struct sk_buff *sk
 	}
 
 	spin_lock(&ab->base_lock);
-	if (test_bit(ATH11K_FLAG_REGISTERED, &ab->dev_flags)) {
-		/* Once mac is registered, ar is valid and all CC events from
-		 * fw is considered to be received due to user requests
-		 * currently.
+	if (ab->default_regd[pdev_idx]) {
+		/* The initial rules from FW after WMI Init is to build
+		 * the default regd. From then on, any rules updated for
+		 * the pdev could be due to user reg changes.
 		 * Free previously built regd before assigning the newly
 		 * generated regd to ar. NULL pointer handling will be
 		 * taken care by kfree itself.
@@ -5854,13 +5854,9 @@ static int ath11k_reg_chan_list_event(struct ath11k_base *ab, struct sk_buff *sk
 		ab->new_regd[pdev_idx] = regd;
 		ieee80211_queue_work(ar->hw, &ar->regd_update_work);
 	} else {
-		/* Multiple events for the same *ar is not expected. But we
-		 * can still clear any previously stored default_regd if we
-		 * are receiving this event for the same radio by mistake.
-		 * NULL pointer handling will be taken care by kfree itself.
+		/* This regd would be applied during mac registration and is
+		 * held constant throughout for regd intersection purpose
 		 */
-		kfree(ab->default_regd[pdev_idx]);
-		/* This regd would be applied during mac registration */
 		ab->default_regd[pdev_idx] = regd;
 	}
 	ab->dfs_region = reg_info->dfs_region;