diff --git a/src/core/mac/mac.cpp b/src/core/mac/mac.cpp
index d759dbf8f..9dcfccea4 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/mac.cpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/mac.cpp
@@ -1852,7 +1852,8 @@ void Mac::HandleReceivedFrame(RxFrame *aFrame, Error aError)
     Address   dstaddr;
     PanId     panid;
     Neighbor *neighbor;
-    Error     error = aError;
+    Error     error            = aError;
+    bool      isFrameValidated = false;
 
     mCounters.mRxTotal++;
 
@@ -1864,6 +1865,8 @@ void Mac::HandleReceivedFrame(RxFrame *aFrame, Error aError)
     // the buffer received from the radio.
     SuccessOrExit(error = aFrame->ValidatePsdu());
 
+    isFrameValidated = true;
+
     IgnoreError(aFrame->GetSrcAddr(srcaddr));
     IgnoreError(aFrame->GetDstAddr(dstaddr));
     neighbor = !srcaddr.IsNone() ? Get<NeighborTable>().FindNeighbor(srcaddr) : nullptr;
@@ -2099,7 +2102,7 @@ exit:
 
     if (error != kErrorNone)
     {
-        LogFrameRxFailure(aFrame, error);
+        LogFrameRxFailure(isFrameValidated ? aFrame : nullptr, error);
 
         switch (error)
         {