diff --git a/src/core/thread/network_data_publisher.cpp b/src/core/thread/network_data_publisher.cpp
index 6094eddef..ec925b824 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/network_data_publisher.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/network_data_publisher.cpp
@@ -658,10 +658,29 @@ void Publisher::DnsSrpServiceEntry::Process(void)
         desiredNumEntries = kDesiredNumAnycast;
         break;
 
-    case kTypeUnicast:
     case kTypeUnicastMeshLocalEid:
+    {
+        Service::DnsSrpAnycast::Info anycastInfo;
+
         CountUnicastEntries(numEntries, numPreferredEntries);
         desiredNumEntries = kDesiredNumUnicast;
+
+        if (Get<Service::Manager>().FindPreferredDnsSrpAnycastInfo(anycastInfo) == kErrorNone)
+        {
+            // If there is any anycast entry in netdata, we set the
+            // desired number of unicast entries (with address added
+            // in server TLV) to zero to remove any added unicast
+            // entry.
+
+            desiredNumEntries = 0;
+        }
+
+        break;
+    }
+
+    case kTypeUnicast:
+        desiredNumEntries = kDesiredNumUnicast;
+        CountUnicastEntries(numEntries, numPreferredEntries);
         break;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_netdata_publisher.py b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_netdata_publisher.py
index f1a1c5d35..7192e6f43 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_netdata_publisher.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_netdata_publisher.py
@@ -304,6 +304,37 @@ class NetDataPublisher(thread_cert.TestCase):
             node.srp_server_set_enabled(False)
             self.assertEqual(node.srp_server_get_state(), 'disabled')
 
+        #---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        # DNS/SRP unicast and anycast entry
+
+        # Verify that publishing an anycast entry will update the limit
+        # for the unicast MLE-EID address entry and all are removed.
+
+        num = 0
+        for node in routers:
+            node.netdata_publish_dnssrp_unicast_mleid(DNSSRP_PORT)
+            self.simulator.go(WAIT_TIME)
+            num += 1
+            services = leader.get_services()
+            self.assertEqual(len(services), min(num, DESIRED_NUM_DNSSRP_UNCIAST))
+            self.verify_unicast_services(services)
+
+        leader.netdata_publish_dnssrp_anycast(ANYCAST_SEQ_NUM)
+        self.simulator.go(WAIT_TIME)
+        services = leader.get_services()
+        self.assertEqual(len(services), 1)
+        self.verify_anycast_services(services)
+
+        leader.netdata_unpublish_dnssrp()
+        self.simulator.go(WAIT_TIME)
+
+        services = leader.get_services()
+        self.assertEqual(len(services), min(num, DESIRED_NUM_DNSSRP_UNCIAST))
+        self.verify_unicast_services(services)
+
+        for node in routers:
+            node.netdata_unpublish_dnssrp()
+
         #---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         # DNS/SRP entries: Verify publisher preference when removing
         # entries.