diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
index 1821ebdfe..3dc359122 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
@@ -1088,6 +1088,28 @@ otError Mle::AppendMleFrameCounter(Message &aMessage)
     return Tlv::Append<MleFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, Get<KeyManager>().GetMleFrameCounter());
 }
 
+otError Mle::ReadFrameCounters(const Message &aMessage, uint32_t &aLinkFrameCounter, uint32_t &aMleFrameCounter) const
+{
+    otError error;
+
+    SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<LinkFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, aLinkFrameCounter));
+
+    switch (Tlv::Find<MleFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, aMleFrameCounter))
+    {
+    case OT_ERROR_NONE:
+        break;
+    case OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND:
+        aMleFrameCounter = aLinkFrameCounter;
+        break;
+    default:
+        error = OT_ERROR_PARSE;
+        break;
+    }
+
+exit:
+    return error;
+}
+
 otError Mle::AppendAddress16(Message &aMessage, uint16_t aRloc16)
 {
     return Tlv::Append<Address16Tlv>(aMessage, aRloc16);
@@ -3278,20 +3300,8 @@ void Mle::HandleParentResponse(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &
                                                     static_cast<uint8_t>(version)));
     }
 
-    // Link Frame Counter
-    SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<LinkFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, linkFrameCounter));
-
-    // Mle Frame Counter
-    switch (Tlv::Find<MleFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, mleFrameCounter))
-    {
-    case OT_ERROR_NONE:
-        break;
-    case OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND:
-        mleFrameCounter = linkFrameCounter;
-        break;
-    default:
-        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
-    }
+    // Link/MLE Frame Counters
+    SuccessOrExit(error = ReadFrameCounters(aMessage, linkFrameCounter, mleFrameCounter));
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_TIME_SYNC_ENABLE
 
@@ -3603,18 +3613,7 @@ void Mle::HandleChildUpdateResponse(const Message &         aMessage,
     switch (mRole)
     {
     case kRoleDetached:
-        SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<LinkFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, linkFrameCounter));
-
-        switch (Tlv::Find<MleFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, mleFrameCounter))
-        {
-        case OT_ERROR_NONE:
-            break;
-        case OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND:
-            mleFrameCounter = linkFrameCounter;
-            break;
-        default:
-            ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
-        }
+        SuccessOrExit(error = ReadFrameCounters(aMessage, linkFrameCounter, mleFrameCounter));
 
         mParent.SetLinkFrameCounter(linkFrameCounter);
         mParent.SetLinkAckFrameCounter(linkFrameCounter);
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.hpp b/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
index 20f1a841d..012eb00cc 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
@@ -1044,6 +1044,24 @@ protected:
      */
     otError AppendLinkFrameCounter(Message &aMessage);
 
+    /**
+     * This method reads Link and MLE Frame Counters from a message.
+     *
+     * Link Frame Counter TLV must be present in the message and its value is read into @p aLinkFrameCounter. If MLE
+     * Frame Counter TLV is present in the message, its value is read into @p aMleFrameCounter. If the MLE Frame
+     * Counter TLV is not present in the message, then @p aMleFrameCounter is set to same value as @p aLinkFrameCounter.
+     *
+     * @param[in]  aMesssage           A reference to the message to read from.
+     * @param[out] aLinkFrameCounter   A reference to an `uint32_t` to output the Link Frame Counter.
+     * @param[out] aMleFrameCounter    A reference to an `uint32_t` to output the MLE Frame Counter.
+     *
+     * @retval OT_ERROR_NONE       Successfully read the counters.
+     * @retval OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND  Link Frame Counter TLV was not found in the message.
+     * @retval OT_ERROR_PARSE      TLVs are not well-formed.
+     *
+     */
+    otError ReadFrameCounters(const Message &aMessage, uint32_t &aLinkFrameCounter, uint32_t &aMleFrameCounter) const;
+
     /**
      * This method appends an MLE Frame Counter TLV to a message.
      *
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
index a5cc6cbca..8dae0756b 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
@@ -838,20 +838,8 @@ otError MleRouter::HandleLinkAccept(const Message &         aMessage,
     SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<VersionTlv>(aMessage, version));
     VerifyOrExit(version >= OT_THREAD_VERSION_1_1, error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
 
-    // Link-Layer Frame Counter
-    SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<LinkFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, linkFrameCounter));
-
-    // MLE Frame Counter
-    switch (Tlv::Find<MleFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, mleFrameCounter))
-    {
-    case OT_ERROR_NONE:
-        break;
-    case OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND:
-        mleFrameCounter = linkFrameCounter;
-        break;
-    default:
-        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
-    }
+    // Link and MLE Frame Counters
+    SuccessOrExit(error = ReadFrameCounters(aMessage, linkFrameCounter, mleFrameCounter));
 
     // Link Margin
     switch (Tlv::Find<LinkMarginTlv>(aMessage, linkMargin))
@@ -2220,20 +2208,8 @@ void MleRouter::HandleChildIdRequest(const Message &         aMessage,
     Get<MeshForwarder>().RemoveMessages(*child, Message::kSubTypeMleChildUpdateRequest);
     Get<MeshForwarder>().RemoveMessages(*child, Message::kSubTypeMleDataResponse);
 
-    // Link-Layer Frame Counter
-    SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<LinkFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, linkFrameCounter));
-
-    // MLE Frame Counter
-    switch (Tlv::Find<MleFrameCounterTlv>(aMessage, mleFrameCounter))
-    {
-    case OT_ERROR_NONE:
-        break;
-    case OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND:
-        mleFrameCounter = linkFrameCounter;
-        break;
-    default:
-        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
-    }
+    // Link-Layer and MLE Frame Counters
+    SuccessOrExit(error = ReadFrameCounters(aMessage, linkFrameCounter, mleFrameCounter));
 
     // Mode
     SuccessOrExit(error = Tlv::Find<ModeTlv>(aMessage, modeBitmask));