diff --git a/src/core/net/srp_server.cpp b/src/core/net/srp_server.cpp
index c5dd7c70e..1485e588c 100644
--- a/src/core/net/srp_server.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/srp_server.cpp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ Server::Server(Instance &aInstance)
     , mOutstandingUpdatesTimer(aInstance)
     , mCompletedUpdateTask(aInstance)
     , mServiceUpdateId(Random::NonCrypto::GetUint32())
-    , mPort(kUdpPortMin)
+    , mPort(kUninitializedPort)
     , mState(kStateDisabled)
     , mAddressMode(kDefaultAddressMode)
     , mAnycastSequenceNumber(0)
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ exit:
     }
 }
 
-void Server::SelectPort(void)
+void Server::InitPort(void)
 {
     mPort = kUdpPortMin;
 
@@ -605,24 +605,35 @@ void Server::SelectPort(void)
 
         if (Get<Settings>().Read(info) == kErrorNone)
         {
-            mPort = info.GetPort() + 1;
-            if (mPort < kUdpPortMin || mPort > kUdpPortMax)
-            {
-                mPort = kUdpPortMin;
-            }
+            mPort = info.GetPort();
         }
     }
 #endif
+}
+
+void Server::SelectPort(void)
+{
+    if (mPort == kUninitializedPort)
+    {
+        InitPort();
+    }
+    ++mPort;
+    if (mPort < kUdpPortMin || mPort > kUdpPortMax)
+    {
+        mPort = kUdpPortMin;
+    }
 
     LogInfo("Selected port %u", mPort);
 }
 
 void Server::Start(void)
 {
+    Error error = kErrorNone;
+
     VerifyOrExit(mState == kStateStopped);
 
     mState = kStateRunning;
-    PrepareSocket();
+    SuccessOrExit(error = PrepareSocket());
     LogInfo("Start listening on port %u", mPort);
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_SRP_SERVER_ADVERTISING_PROXY_ENABLE
@@ -630,10 +641,15 @@ void Server::Start(void)
 #endif
 
 exit:
-    return;
+    // Re-enable server to select a new port.
+    if (error != kErrorNone)
+    {
+        Disable();
+        Enable();
+    }
 }
 
-void Server::PrepareSocket(void)
+Error Server::PrepareSocket(void)
 {
     Error error = kErrorNone;
 
@@ -659,8 +675,11 @@ exit:
     if (error != kErrorNone)
     {
         LogCrit("Failed to prepare socket: %s", ErrorToString(error));
+        IgnoreError(mSocket.Close());
         Stop();
     }
+
+    return error;
 }
 
 Ip6::Udp::Socket &Server::GetSocket(void)
@@ -689,7 +708,7 @@ void Server::HandleDnssdServerStateChange(void)
 
     if (mState == kStateRunning)
     {
-        PrepareSocket();
+        IgnoreError(PrepareSocket());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/net/srp_server.hpp b/src/core/net/srp_server.hpp
index 4420593d3..ebe67d8fe 100644
--- a/src/core/net/srp_server.hpp
+++ b/src/core/net/srp_server.hpp
@@ -912,6 +912,7 @@ private:
     static constexpr AddressMode kDefaultAddressMode =
         static_cast<AddressMode>(OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_SRP_SERVER_DEFAULT_ADDRESS_MODE);
 
+    static constexpr uint16_t kUninitializedPort      = 0;
     static constexpr uint16_t kAnycastAddressModePort = 53;
 
     // Metadata for a received SRP Update message.
@@ -971,8 +972,9 @@ private:
     void              Disable(void);
     void              Start(void);
     void              Stop(void);
+    void              InitPort(void);
     void              SelectPort(void);
-    void              PrepareSocket(void);
+    Error             PrepareSocket(void);
     Ip6::Udp::Socket &GetSocket(void);
     LinkedList<Host> &GetHosts(void) { return mHosts; }
 
diff --git a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/border_router/test_advertising_proxy.py b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/border_router/test_advertising_proxy.py
index 5c66bf973..2ae828b55 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/border_router/test_advertising_proxy.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/border_router/test_advertising_proxy.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 #  POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #
 import ipaddress
-import logging
 import unittest
 
 import config
@@ -81,6 +80,12 @@ class SingleHostAndService(thread_cert.TestCase):
         host.start(start_radvd=False)
         self.simulator.go(5)
 
+        # Reserve UDP ports to verify that SRP server can skip the unavailable
+        # ports correctly
+        server.reserve_udp_port(53535)
+        server.reserve_udp_port(53536)
+        server.reserve_udp_port(53537)
+
         self.assertEqual(server.srp_server_get_state(), 'disabled')
         server.srp_server_set_enabled(True)
         server.srp_server_set_lease_range(LEASE, LEASE, KEY_LEASE, KEY_LEASE)
@@ -88,6 +93,7 @@ class SingleHostAndService(thread_cert.TestCase):
         self.simulator.go(config.BORDER_ROUTER_STARTUP_DELAY)
         self.assertEqual('leader', server.get_state())
         self.assertEqual(server.srp_server_get_state(), 'running')
+        self.assertNotIn(server.get_srp_server_port(), [53535, 53536, 53537])
 
         client.start()
         self.simulator.go(config.ROUTER_STARTUP_DELAY)
diff --git a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/node.py b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/node.py
index e7aa2bb38..9f5d337f9 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/node.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/node.py
@@ -197,6 +197,9 @@ class OtbrDocker:
         self.pexpect.wait()
         self.pexpect.proc.kill()
 
+    def reserve_udp_port(self, port):
+        self.bash(f'socat -u UDP6-LISTEN:{port},bindtodevice=wpan0 - &')
+
     def destroy(self):
         logging.info("Destroying %s", self)
         self._shutdown_docker()
diff --git a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_srp_server_reboot_port.py b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_srp_server_reboot_port.py
index d78dc118b..b38bcfe9e 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_srp_server_reboot_port.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_srp_server_reboot_port.py
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ class SrpServerRebootPort(thread_cert.TestCase):
 
         #
         # 2. Reboot the server without any service registered. The server should
-        # listen to the same port after the reboot.
+        # switch to a new port after re-enabling.
         #
         old_port = server.get_srp_server_port()
         server.srp_server_set_enabled(False)
         self.simulator.go(5)
         server.srp_server_set_enabled(True)
         self.simulator.go(5)
-        self.assertEqual(old_port, server.get_srp_server_port())
+        self.assertNotEqual(old_port, server.get_srp_server_port())
 
         #
         # 3. Register a service