diff --git a/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_ble.c b/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_ble.c
index ed32592e3c..7afd0a99bb 100644
--- a/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_ble.c
+++ b/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_ble.c
@@ -352,6 +352,15 @@ static void transport_simple_ble_connect(esp_gatts_cb_event_t event, esp_gatt_if
 {
     esp_err_t ret;
     ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Inside BLE connect w/ conn_id - %d", param->connect.conn_id);
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_PROV_KEEP_BLE_ON_AFTER_PROV
+    /* Ignore BLE events received after protocomm layer is stopped */
+    if (protoble_internal == NULL) {
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG,"Protocomm layer has already stopped");
+        return;
+    }
+#endif
+
     if (protoble_internal->pc_ble->sec &&
             protoble_internal->pc_ble->sec->new_transport_session) {
         ret = protoble_internal->pc_ble->sec->new_transport_session(protoble_internal->pc_ble->sec_inst,
@@ -599,6 +608,7 @@ esp_err_t protocomm_ble_stop(protocomm_t *pc)
         if (ret) {
             ESP_LOGE(TAG, "BLE stop failed");
         }
+        simple_ble_deinit();
 #else
 #ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_PROV_DISCONNECT_AFTER_PROV
         /* Keep BT stack on, but terminate the connection after provisioning */
diff --git a/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_nimble.c b/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_nimble.c
index acdecc3710..e7c5c05366 100644
--- a/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_nimble.c
+++ b/components/protocomm/src/transports/protocomm_nimble.c
@@ -568,6 +568,15 @@ static void transport_simple_ble_connect(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
 {
     esp_err_t ret;
     ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Inside BLE connect w/ conn_id - %d", event->connect.conn_handle);
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_PROV_KEEP_BLE_ON_AFTER_PROV
+    /* Ignore BLE events received after protocomm layer is stopped */
+    if (protoble_internal == NULL) {
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG,"Protocomm layer has already stopped");
+        return;
+    }
+#endif
+
     if (protoble_internal->pc_ble->sec &&
             protoble_internal->pc_ble->sec->new_transport_session) {
         ret =
@@ -972,6 +981,7 @@ esp_err_t protocomm_ble_stop(protocomm_t *pc)
         if (ret == 0) {
             nimble_port_deinit();
         }
+        free_gatt_ble_misc_memory(ble_cfg_p);
 #else
 #ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_PROV_DISCONNECT_AFTER_PROV
 	/* Keep BT stack on, but terminate the connection after provisioning */