diff --git a/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.cpp b/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.cpp
index 96a796219..68843068c 100644
--- a/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.cpp
@@ -340,10 +340,10 @@ void DatasetManager::HandleMgmtSetResponse(void *               aContext,
                                            Error                aError)
 {
     static_cast<DatasetManager *>(aContext)->HandleMgmtSetResponse(
-        *static_cast<Coap::Message *>(aMessage), *static_cast<const Ip6::MessageInfo *>(aMessageInfo), aError);
+        static_cast<Coap::Message *>(aMessage), static_cast<const Ip6::MessageInfo *>(aMessageInfo), aError);
 }
 
-void DatasetManager::HandleMgmtSetResponse(Coap::Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo, Error aError)
+void DatasetManager::HandleMgmtSetResponse(Coap::Message *aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo *aMessageInfo, Error aError)
 {
     OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(aMessageInfo);
 
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ void DatasetManager::HandleMgmtSetResponse(Coap::Message &aMessage, const Ip6::M
     StateTlv stateTlv;
 
     SuccessOrExit(error = aError);
-    VerifyOrExit(Tlv::FindTlv(aMessage, stateTlv) == kErrorNone, error = kErrorParse);
+    VerifyOrExit(Tlv::FindTlv(*aMessage, stateTlv) == kErrorNone, error = kErrorParse);
 
     switch (stateTlv.GetState())
     {
diff --git a/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.hpp b/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.hpp
index 774cc425d..975012fdb 100644
--- a/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.hpp
+++ b/src/core/meshcop/dataset_manager.hpp
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ private:
                                       otMessage *          aMessage,
                                       const otMessageInfo *aMessageInfo,
                                       Error                aError);
-    void        HandleMgmtSetResponse(Coap::Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo, Error aError);
+    void        HandleMgmtSetResponse(Coap::Message *aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo *aMessageInfo, Error aError);
 
     bool  IsActiveDataset(void) const { return GetType() == Dataset::kActive; }
     bool  IsPendingDataset(void) const { return GetType() == Dataset::kPending; }