diff --git a/src/core/api/thread_api.cpp b/src/core/api/thread_api.cpp
index 5426b6d1a..065369925 100644
--- a/src/core/api/thread_api.cpp
+++ b/src/core/api/thread_api.cpp
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ otError otThreadGetParentAverageRssi(otInstance *aInstance, int8_t *aParentRssi)
     parent = aInstance->mThreadNetif.GetMle().GetParent();
     *aParentRssi = parent->GetLinkInfo().GetAverageRss();
 
-    VerifyOrExit(*aParentRssi != LinkQualityInfo::kUnknownRss, error = OT_ERROR_FAILED);
+    VerifyOrExit(*aParentRssi != OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID, error = OT_ERROR_FAILED);
 
 exit:
     return error;
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ otError otThreadGetParentLastRssi(otInstance *aInstance, int8_t *aLastRssi)
     parent = aInstance->mThreadNetif.GetMle().GetParent();
     *aLastRssi = parent->GetLinkInfo().GetLastRss();
 
-    VerifyOrExit(*aLastRssi != LinkQualityInfo::kUnknownRss, error = OT_ERROR_FAILED);
+    VerifyOrExit(*aLastRssi != OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID, error = OT_ERROR_FAILED);
 
 exit:
     return error;
diff --git a/src/core/thread/link_quality.cpp b/src/core/thread/link_quality.cpp
index 994e92aed..cc19d25f1 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/link_quality.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/link_quality.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include "utils/wrap_string.h"
 
-#include <openthread/types.h>
-
 #include "common/code_utils.hpp"
 
 namespace ot {
@@ -82,7 +80,7 @@ void LinkQualityInfo::AddRss(int8_t aNoiseFloor, int8_t aRss)
     uint16_t    newValue;
     uint16_t    oldAverage;
 
-    VerifyOrExit(aRss != kUnknownRss);
+    VerifyOrExit(aRss != OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID);
 
     mLastRss = aRss;
 
@@ -133,7 +131,7 @@ exit:
 
 int8_t LinkQualityInfo::GetAverageRss(void) const
 {
-    int8_t average = kUnknownRss;
+    int8_t average = OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID;
 
     if (mCount != 0)
     {
@@ -212,7 +210,7 @@ uint8_t LinkQualityInfo::ConvertRssToLinkMargin(int8_t aNoiseFloor, int8_t aRss)
 {
     int8_t linkMargin = aRss - aNoiseFloor;
 
-    if (linkMargin < 0 || aRss == kUnknownRss)
+    if (linkMargin < 0 || aRss == OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID)
     {
         linkMargin = 0;
     }
diff --git a/src/core/thread/link_quality.hpp b/src/core/thread/link_quality.hpp
index f6d427041..b01d0febb 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/link_quality.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/link_quality.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#include <openthread/platform/radio.h>
 #include <openthread/types.h>
 
 namespace ot {
@@ -58,11 +59,6 @@ namespace ot {
 class LinkQualityInfo
 {
 public:
-    enum
-    {
-        kUnknownRss = 127,     ///< Indicates an unknown signal strength value or average.
-    };
-
     /**
      * This constructor initializes an instance of the LinkQualityInfo class.
      *
@@ -87,7 +83,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * This method returns the current average signal strength value.
      *
-     * @returns The current average value or @c kUnknownRss if no average is available.
+     * @returns The current average value or @c OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID if no average is available.
      *
      */
     int8_t GetAverageRss(void) const;
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp b/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp
index 7e94404ba..17d4db1e6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void VerifyEncodedRssValue(LinkQualityInfo &aLinkInfo)
     int8_t   rss = aLinkInfo.GetAverageRss();
     uint16_t encodedRss = aLinkInfo.GetAverageRssAsEncodedWord();
 
-    if (rss != LinkQualityInfo::kUnknownRss)
+    if (rss != OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID)
     {
         VerifyOrQuit(rss == -static_cast<int16_t>((encodedRss + (kEncodedAverageMultiple / 2)) >> kEncodedAverageBitShift),
                      "TestLinkQualityInfo failed - Ecoded RSS does not match the value from GetAverageRss().");
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void TestRssAveraging(void)
     // Values after initialization.
 
     printf("\nAfter Initialization: ");
-    VerifyOrQuit(linkInfo.GetAverageRss() == LinkQualityInfo::kUnknownRss,
+    VerifyOrQuit(linkInfo.GetAverageRss() == OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID,
                  "TestLinkQualityInfo failed - Inital value from GetAverageRss() is incorrect.");
     VerifyOrQuit(linkInfo.GetLinkMargin(sNoiseFloor) == 0,
                  "TestLinkQualityInfo failed - Inital value for link margin is incorrect.");
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ void TestRssAveraging(void)
 
     printf("Clear(): ");
     linkInfo.Clear();
-    VerifyOrQuit(linkInfo.GetAverageRss() == LinkQualityInfo::kUnknownRss,
+    VerifyOrQuit(linkInfo.GetAverageRss() == OT_RADIO_RSSI_INVALID,
                  "TestLinkQualityInfo failed - GetAverageRss() after Clear() is incorrect.");
     VerifyOrQuit(linkInfo.GetLinkMargin(sNoiseFloor) == 0,
                  "TestLinkQualityInfo failed - link margin value after Clear() is incorrect.");