diff --git a/src/core/common/instance.cpp b/src/core/common/instance.cpp
index e7a30ad5d..80a964907 100644
--- a/src/core/common/instance.cpp
+++ b/src/core/common/instance.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ void Instance::Finalize(void)
     Get<Settings>().Deinit();
 #endif
 
+    Get<Mac::SubMac>().Disable();
+
 #if !OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MULTIPLE_INSTANCE_ENABLE
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/core/mac/mac.cpp b/src/core/mac/mac.cpp
index ce7b39e13..c1b3590b7 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/mac.cpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/mac.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ const char Mac::sDomainNameInit[] = "Thread";
 
 Mac::Mac(Instance &aInstance)
     : InstanceLocator(aInstance)
-    , mEnabled(true)
+    , mEnabled(false)
     , mPendingActiveScan(false)
     , mPendingEnergyScan(false)
     , mPendingTransmitBeacon(false)
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ Mac::Mac(Instance &aInstance)
     ResetCounters();
     mExtendedPanId.Clear();
 
+    SetEnabled(true);
     mSubMac.Enable();
 
     SetExtendedPanId(static_cast<const ExtendedPanId &>(sExtendedPanidInit));
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ otError Mac::ActiveScan(uint32_t aScanChannels, uint16_t aScanDuration, ActiveSc
 {
     otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
     VerifyOrExit(!IsActiveScanInProgress() && !IsEnergyScanInProgress(), error = OT_ERROR_BUSY);
 
     mActiveScanHandler  = aHandler;
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ otError Mac::EnergyScan(uint32_t aScanChannels, uint16_t aScanDuration, EnergySc
 {
     otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
     VerifyOrExit(!IsActiveScanInProgress() && !IsEnergyScanInProgress(), error = OT_ERROR_BUSY);
 
     mEnergyScanHandler  = aHandler;
@@ -269,7 +270,7 @@ otError Mac::UpdateScanChannel(void)
 {
     otError error;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_ABORT);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_ABORT);
 
     error = mScanChannelMask.GetNextChannel(mScanChannel);
 
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@ otError Mac::RequestDirectFrameTransmission(void)
 {
     otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
     VerifyOrExit(!mPendingTransmitDataDirect && (mOperation != kOperationTransmitDataDirect), error = OT_ERROR_ALREADY);
 
     StartOperation(kOperationTransmitDataDirect);
@@ -554,7 +555,7 @@ otError Mac::RequestIndirectFrameTransmission(void)
 {
     otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
     VerifyOrExit(!mPendingTransmitDataIndirect && (mOperation != kOperationTransmitDataIndirect),
                  error = OT_ERROR_ALREADY);
 
@@ -570,7 +571,7 @@ otError Mac::RequestOutOfBandFrameTransmission(otRadioFrame *aOobFrame)
     otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
     VerifyOrExit(aOobFrame != NULL, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_ARGS);
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
     VerifyOrExit(!mPendingTransmitOobFrame && (mOperation != kOperationTransmitOutOfBandFrame),
                  error = OT_ERROR_ALREADY);
 
@@ -586,7 +587,7 @@ otError Mac::RequestDataPollTransmission(void)
 {
     otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
     VerifyOrExit(!mPendingTransmitPoll && (mOperation != kOperationTransmitPoll), error = OT_ERROR_ALREADY);
 
     // We ensure data frame and data poll tx requests are handled in the
@@ -709,7 +710,7 @@ void Mac::PerformNextOperation(void)
 {
     VerifyOrExit(mOperation == kOperationIdle, OT_NOOP);
 
-    if (!mEnabled)
+    if (!IsEnabled())
     {
         mPendingWaitingForData     = false;
         mPendingTransmitOobFrame   = false;
@@ -917,7 +918,7 @@ bool Mac::ShouldSendBeacon(void) const
 {
     bool shouldSend = false;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, OT_NOOP);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), OT_NOOP);
 
     shouldSend = IsBeaconEnabled();
 
@@ -1024,7 +1025,7 @@ void Mac::BeginTransmit(void)
     bool     processTransmitAesCcm = true;
     TxFrame &sendFrame             = mSubMac.GetTransmitFrame();
 
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_ABORT);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_ABORT);
     sendFrame.SetIsARetransmission(false);
 
     switch (mOperation)
@@ -1310,7 +1311,7 @@ void Mac::HandleTransmitDone(TxFrame &aFrame, RxFrame *aAckFrame, otError aError
         {
             bool framePending = aAckFrame->GetFramePending();
 
-            if (mEnabled && framePending)
+            if (IsEnabled() && framePending)
             {
                 mTimer.Start(kDataPollTimeout);
                 StartOperation(kOperationWaitingForData);
@@ -1571,7 +1572,7 @@ void Mac::HandleReceivedFrame(RxFrame *aFrame, otError aError)
 
     SuccessOrExit(error);
     VerifyOrExit(aFrame != NULL, error = OT_ERROR_NO_FRAME_RECEIVED);
-    VerifyOrExit(mEnabled, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
+    VerifyOrExit(IsEnabled(), error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_STATE);
 
     // Ensure we have a valid frame before attempting to read any contents of
     // the buffer received from the radio.