diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
index cab5c6211..0c9eaaaf5 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
@@ -2877,8 +2877,7 @@ otError Mle::HandleAdvertisement(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo
         break;
     }
 
-    if (mRetrieveNewNetworkData ||
-        (static_cast<int8_t>(leaderData.GetDataVersion() - Get<NetworkData::Leader>().GetVersion()) > 0))
+    if (mRetrieveNewNetworkData || IsNetworkDataNewer(leaderData))
     {
         delay = Random::NonCrypto::GetUint16InRange(0, kMleMaxResponseDelay);
         SendDataRequest(aMessageInfo.GetPeerAddr(), tlvs, sizeof(tlvs), delay);
@@ -2919,6 +2918,22 @@ exit:
     return error;
 }
 
+bool Mle::IsNetworkDataNewer(const LeaderDataTlv &aLeaderData)
+{
+    int8_t diff;
+
+    if (IsFullNetworkData())
+    {
+        diff = static_cast<int8_t>(aLeaderData.GetDataVersion() - Get<NetworkData::Leader>().GetVersion());
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        diff = static_cast<int8_t>(aLeaderData.GetStableDataVersion() - Get<NetworkData::Leader>().GetStableVersion());
+    }
+
+    return (diff > 0);
+}
+
 otError Mle::HandleLeaderData(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo)
 {
     otError             error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
@@ -2950,19 +2965,7 @@ otError Mle::HandleLeaderData(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &a
     }
     else if (!mRetrieveNewNetworkData)
     {
-        int8_t diff;
-
-        if (IsFullNetworkData())
-        {
-            diff = static_cast<int8_t>(leaderData.GetDataVersion() - Get<NetworkData::Leader>().GetVersion());
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            diff =
-                static_cast<int8_t>(leaderData.GetStableDataVersion() - Get<NetworkData::Leader>().GetStableVersion());
-        }
-
-        VerifyOrExit(diff > 0);
+        VerifyOrExit(IsNetworkDataNewer(leaderData));
     }
 
     // Active Timestamp
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.hpp b/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
index f818e6aab..040ff77b8 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.hpp
@@ -1713,6 +1713,7 @@ private:
     uint32_t Reattach(void);
 
     bool IsBetterParent(uint16_t aRloc16, uint8_t aLinkQuality, uint8_t aLinkMargin, ConnectivityTlv &aConnectivityTlv);
+    bool IsNetworkDataNewer(const LeaderDataTlv &aLeaderData);
     void ResetParentCandidate(void);
 
     otError GetAlocAddress(Ip6::Address &aAddress, uint16_t aAloc16) const;