diff --git a/src/core/meshcop/border_agent.cpp b/src/core/meshcop/border_agent.cpp
index 9f72ec137..acb137eb9 100644
--- a/src/core/meshcop/border_agent.cpp
+++ b/src/core/meshcop/border_agent.cpp
@@ -230,10 +230,10 @@ void BorderAgent::HandleCoapResponse(void *               aContext,
     Coap::Message *      message        = NULL;
     otError              error;
 
-    VerifyOrExit((message = NewMeshCoPMessage(instance.Get<Coap::CoapSecure>())) != NULL, error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
     SuccessOrExit(error = aResult);
+    VerifyOrExit((message = NewMeshCoPMessage(instance.Get<Coap::CoapSecure>())) != NULL, error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
 
-    if (forwardContext.IsPetition())
+    if (forwardContext.IsPetition() && response->GetCode() == OT_COAP_CODE_CHANGED)
     {
         StateTlv stateTlv;
 
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ void BorderAgent::HandleCoapResponse(void *               aContext,
 
     SuccessOrExit(error = forwardContext.ToHeader(*message, response->GetCode()));
 
-    if (response->GetLength() - response->GetOffset() > 0)
+    if (response->GetLength() > response->GetOffset())
     {
         SuccessOrExit(error = message->SetPayloadMarker());
     }