diff --git a/src/core/thread/dua_manager.cpp b/src/core/thread/dua_manager.cpp
index 99ebee1b9..8feeb9e5f 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/dua_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/dua_manager.cpp
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ exit:
     otLogInfoDua("Sent DUA.req for DUA %s: %s", dua.ToString().AsCString(), ErrorToString(error));
 }
 
-void DuaManager::HandleDuaResponse(Coap::Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo, Error aResult)
+void DuaManager::HandleDuaResponse(Coap::Message *aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo *aMessageInfo, Error aResult)
 {
     OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(aMessageInfo);
     Error error;
@@ -552,10 +552,12 @@ void DuaManager::HandleDuaResponse(Coap::Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageIn
     }
 
     VerifyOrExit(aResult == kErrorNone, error = kErrorParse);
-    VerifyOrExit(aMessage.GetCode() == Coap::kCodeChanged || aMessage.GetCode() >= Coap::kCodeBadRequest,
+    OT_ASSERT(aMessage != nullptr);
+
+    VerifyOrExit(aMessage->GetCode() == Coap::kCodeChanged || aMessage->GetCode() >= Coap::kCodeBadRequest,
                  error = kErrorParse);
 
-    error = ProcessDuaResponse(aMessage);
+    error = ProcessDuaResponse(*aMessage);
 
 exit:
     if (error != kErrorResponseTimeout)
diff --git a/src/core/thread/dua_manager.hpp b/src/core/thread/dua_manager.hpp
index a1056350e..bc268fb86 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/dua_manager.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/dua_manager.hpp
@@ -201,10 +201,10 @@ private:
     static void HandleDuaResponse(void *aContext, otMessage *aMessage, const otMessageInfo *aMessageInfo, Error aResult)
     {
         static_cast<DuaManager *>(aContext)->HandleDuaResponse(
-            *static_cast<Coap::Message *>(aMessage), *static_cast<const Ip6::MessageInfo *>(aMessageInfo), aResult);
+            static_cast<Coap::Message *>(aMessage), static_cast<const Ip6::MessageInfo *>(aMessageInfo), aResult);
     }
 
-    void HandleDuaResponse(Coap::Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo, Error aResult);
+    void HandleDuaResponse(Coap::Message *aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo *aMessageInfo, Error aResult);
 
     static void HandleDuaNotification(void *aContext, otMessage *aMessage, const otMessageInfo *aMessageInfo)
     {