diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/rx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/rx.c
index 49ca1e168fc5..eee98cebbb46 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/rx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/rx.c
@@ -384,9 +384,10 @@ void iwl_mvm_rx_rx_mpdu(struct iwl_mvm *mvm, struct napi_struct *napi,
 		 * Don't even try to decrypt a MCAST frame that was received
 		 * before the managed vif is authorized, we'd fail anyway.
 		 */
-		if (vif->type == NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION &&
+		if (is_multicast_ether_addr(hdr->addr1) &&
+		    vif->type == NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION &&
 		    !mvmvif->authorized &&
-		    is_multicast_ether_addr(hdr->addr1)) {
+		    ieee80211_has_protected(hdr->frame_control)) {
 			IWL_DEBUG_DROP(mvm, "MCAST before the vif is authorized\n");
 			kfree_skb(skb);
 			rcu_read_unlock();