diff --git a/net/mac80211/mlme.c b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
index 705ef1d040ed..6daadf2cd10b 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/mlme.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
@@ -3262,16 +3262,6 @@ static void ieee80211_rx_mgmt_probe_resp(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	if (ifmgd->associated &&
 	    ether_addr_equal(mgmt->bssid, ifmgd->associated->bssid))
 		ieee80211_reset_ap_probe(sdata);
-
-	if (ifmgd->auth_data && !ifmgd->auth_data->bss->proberesp_ies &&
-	    ether_addr_equal(mgmt->bssid, ifmgd->auth_data->bss->bssid)) {
-		/* got probe response, continue with auth */
-		sdata_info(sdata, "direct probe responded\n");
-		ifmgd->auth_data->tries = 0;
-		ifmgd->auth_data->timeout = jiffies;
-		ifmgd->auth_data->timeout_started = true;
-		run_again(sdata, ifmgd->auth_data->timeout);
-	}
 }
 
 /*
@@ -3717,12 +3707,14 @@ static void ieee80211_sta_connection_lost(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 				    reason);
 }
 
-static int ieee80211_probe_auth(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
+static int ieee80211_auth(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 {
 	struct ieee80211_local *local = sdata->local;
 	struct ieee80211_if_managed *ifmgd = &sdata->u.mgd;
 	struct ieee80211_mgd_auth_data *auth_data = ifmgd->auth_data;
 	u32 tx_flags = 0;
+	u16 trans = 1;
+	u16 status = 0;
 
 	sdata_assert_lock(sdata);
 
@@ -3746,55 +3738,28 @@ static int ieee80211_probe_auth(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 
 	drv_mgd_prepare_tx(local, sdata);
 
-	if (auth_data->bss->proberesp_ies) {
-		u16 trans = 1;
-		u16 status = 0;
+	sdata_info(sdata, "send auth to %pM (try %d/%d)\n",
+		   auth_data->bss->bssid, auth_data->tries,
+		   IEEE80211_AUTH_MAX_TRIES);
 
-		sdata_info(sdata, "send auth to %pM (try %d/%d)\n",
-			   auth_data->bss->bssid, auth_data->tries,
-			   IEEE80211_AUTH_MAX_TRIES);
+	auth_data->expected_transaction = 2;
 
-		auth_data->expected_transaction = 2;
-
-		if (auth_data->algorithm == WLAN_AUTH_SAE) {
-			trans = auth_data->sae_trans;
-			status = auth_data->sae_status;
-			auth_data->expected_transaction = trans;
-		}
-
-		if (ieee80211_hw_check(&local->hw, REPORTS_TX_ACK_STATUS))
-			tx_flags = IEEE80211_TX_CTL_REQ_TX_STATUS |
-				   IEEE80211_TX_INTFL_MLME_CONN_TX;
-
-		ieee80211_send_auth(sdata, trans, auth_data->algorithm, status,
-				    auth_data->data, auth_data->data_len,
-				    auth_data->bss->bssid,
-				    auth_data->bss->bssid, NULL, 0, 0,
-				    tx_flags);
-	} else {
-		const u8 *ssidie;
-
-		sdata_info(sdata, "direct probe to %pM (try %d/%i)\n",
-			   auth_data->bss->bssid, auth_data->tries,
-			   IEEE80211_AUTH_MAX_TRIES);
-
-		rcu_read_lock();
-		ssidie = ieee80211_bss_get_ie(auth_data->bss, WLAN_EID_SSID);
-		if (!ssidie) {
-			rcu_read_unlock();
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
-		/*
-		 * Direct probe is sent to broadcast address as some APs
-		 * will not answer to direct packet in unassociated state.
-		 */
-		ieee80211_send_probe_req(sdata, sdata->vif.addr, NULL,
-					 ssidie + 2, ssidie[1],
-					 NULL, 0, (u32) -1, true, 0,
-					 auth_data->bss->channel, false);
-		rcu_read_unlock();
+	if (auth_data->algorithm == WLAN_AUTH_SAE) {
+		trans = auth_data->sae_trans;
+		status = auth_data->sae_status;
+		auth_data->expected_transaction = trans;
 	}
 
+	if (ieee80211_hw_check(&local->hw, REPORTS_TX_ACK_STATUS))
+		tx_flags = IEEE80211_TX_CTL_REQ_TX_STATUS |
+			   IEEE80211_TX_INTFL_MLME_CONN_TX;
+
+	ieee80211_send_auth(sdata, trans, auth_data->algorithm, status,
+			    auth_data->data, auth_data->data_len,
+			    auth_data->bss->bssid,
+			    auth_data->bss->bssid, NULL, 0, 0,
+			    tx_flags);
+
 	if (tx_flags == 0) {
 		auth_data->timeout = jiffies + IEEE80211_AUTH_TIMEOUT;
 		auth_data->timeout_started = true;
@@ -3874,8 +3839,7 @@ void ieee80211_sta_work(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 		bool status_acked = ifmgd->status_acked;
 
 		ifmgd->status_received = false;
-		if (ifmgd->auth_data &&
-		    (ieee80211_is_probe_req(fc) || ieee80211_is_auth(fc))) {
+		if (ifmgd->auth_data && ieee80211_is_auth(fc)) {
 			if (status_acked) {
 				ifmgd->auth_data->timeout =
 					jiffies + IEEE80211_AUTH_TIMEOUT_SHORT;
@@ -3906,7 +3870,7 @@ void ieee80211_sta_work(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 			 * so let's just kill the auth data
 			 */
 			ieee80211_destroy_auth_data(sdata, false);
-		} else if (ieee80211_probe_auth(sdata)) {
+		} else if (ieee80211_auth(sdata)) {
 			u8 bssid[ETH_ALEN];
 			struct ieee80211_event event = {
 				.type = MLME_EVENT,
@@ -4597,7 +4561,7 @@ int ieee80211_mgd_auth(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	if (err)
 		goto err_clear;
 
-	err = ieee80211_probe_auth(sdata);
+	err = ieee80211_auth(sdata);
 	if (err) {
 		sta_info_destroy_addr(sdata, req->bss->bssid);
 		goto err_clear;