diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
index f5b46ea9d4c4..6d1c7ec051a2 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
@@ -4469,9 +4469,12 @@ static void hci_io_capa_request_evt(struct hci_dev *hdev, struct sk_buff *skb)
 	hci_dev_lock(hdev);
 
 	conn = hci_conn_hash_lookup_ba(hdev, ACL_LINK, &ev->bdaddr);
-	if (!conn || !hci_conn_ssp_enabled(conn))
+	if (!conn || !hci_dev_test_flag(hdev, HCI_SSP_ENABLED))
 		goto unlock;
 
+	/* Assume remote supports SSP since it has triggered this event */
+	set_bit(HCI_CONN_SSP_ENABLED, &conn->flags);
+
 	hci_conn_hold(conn);
 
 	if (!hci_dev_test_flag(hdev, HCI_MGMT))