diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
index 52388bb15..048322448 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
@@ -808,7 +808,6 @@ Mac::TxFrame *MeshForwarder::HandleFrameRequest(Mac::TxFrames &aTxFrames)
             mMessageNextOffset = mSendMessage->GetLength();
             ExitNow(frame = nullptr);
         }
-
         break;
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_REFERENCE_DEVICE_ENABLE
@@ -1308,18 +1307,7 @@ void MeshForwarder::UpdateSendMessage(Error aFrameTxError, Mac::Address &aMacDes
         break;
 
     case Message::kSubTypeMleChildIdRequest:
-        if (mSendMessage->IsLinkSecurityEnabled())
-        {
-            // If the Child ID Request requires fragmentation and therefore
-            // link layer security, the frame transmission will be aborted.
-            // When the message is being freed, we signal to MLE to prepare a
-            // shorter Child ID Request message (by only including mesh-local
-            // address in the Address Registration TLV).
-
-            LogInfo("Requesting shorter `Child ID Request`");
-            Get<Mle::Mle>().RequestShorterChildIdRequest();
-        }
-
+        Get<Mle::Mle>().HandleChildIdRequestTxDone(*mSendMessage);
         break;
 
     default:
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
index d8b1ad8b5..d4bdbc10f 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
@@ -1776,6 +1776,27 @@ void Mle::RequestShorterChildIdRequest(void)
     }
 }
 
+void Mle::HandleChildIdRequestTxDone(Message &aMessage)
+{
+    if (aMessage.GetTxSuccess() && !IsRxOnWhenIdle())
+    {
+        Get<DataPollSender>().SetAttachMode(true);
+        Get<MeshForwarder>().SetRxOnWhenIdle(false);
+    }
+
+    if (aMessage.IsLinkSecurityEnabled())
+    {
+        // If the Child ID Request requires fragmentation and therefore
+        // link layer security, the frame transmission will be aborted.
+        // When the message is being freed, we signal to MLE to prepare a
+        // shorter Child ID Request message (by only including mesh-local
+        // address in the Address Registration TLV).
+
+        LogInfo("Requesting shorter `Child ID Request`");
+        RequestShorterChildIdRequest();
+    }
+}
+
 Error Mle::SendChildIdRequest(void)
 {
     static const uint8_t kTlvs[] = {Tlv::kAddress16, Tlv::kNetworkData, Tlv::kRoute};
@@ -1832,13 +1853,6 @@ Error Mle::SendChildIdRequest(void)
     Log(kMessageSend,
         (mAddressRegistrationMode == kAppendMeshLocalOnly) ? kTypeChildIdRequestShort : kTypeChildIdRequest,
         destination);
-
-    if (!IsRxOnWhenIdle())
-    {
-        Get<DataPollSender>().SetAttachMode(true);
-        Get<MeshForwarder>().SetRxOnWhenIdle(false);
-    }
-
 exit:
     FreeMessageOnError(message, error);
     return error;
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.hpp b/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
index 9d4149909..1ca1645ec 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
@@ -644,6 +644,13 @@ public:
         mParentResponseCallback.Set(aCallback, aContext);
     }
 #endif
+    /**
+     * Notifies MLE whether the Child ID Request message was transmitted successfully.
+     *
+     * @param[in]  aMessage  The transmitted message.
+     *
+     */
+    void HandleChildIdRequestTxDone(Message &aMessage);
 
     /**
      * Requests MLE layer to prepare and send a shorter version of Child ID Request message by only