diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
index 42e79853c..58cccbe37 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
@@ -1255,6 +1255,8 @@ otError Mle::AppendNetworkData(Message &aMessage, bool aStableOnly)
     otError        error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
     NetworkDataTlv tlv;
 
+    VerifyOrExit(!mRetrieveNewNetworkData, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+
     tlv.Init();
     FillNetworkDataTlv(tlv, aStableOnly);
 
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
index 765aad624..38f91c62e 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
@@ -936,10 +936,11 @@ otError MleRouter::HandleLinkAccept(const Message &         aMessage,
         else
         {
             SetStateRouter(GetRloc16());
-            mRetrieveNewNetworkData = true;
-            SendDataRequest(aMessageInfo.GetPeerAddr(), dataRequestTlvs, sizeof(dataRequestTlvs), 0);
         }
 
+        mRetrieveNewNetworkData = true;
+        SendDataRequest(aMessageInfo.GetPeerAddr(), dataRequestTlvs, sizeof(dataRequestTlvs), 0);
+
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_ENABLE_TIME_SYNC
         GetNetif().GetTimeSync().HandleTimeSyncMessage(aMessage);
 #endif