diff --git a/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-iwd.c b/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-iwd.c
index 2478ac9cd2..9d1acb52a5 100644
--- a/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-iwd.c
+++ b/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-iwd.c
@@ -454,10 +454,8 @@ periodic_update(NMDeviceIwd *self)
 
     if (nm_ethernet_address_is_valid(bssid, ETH_ALEN)
         && memcmp(bssid, priv->current_ap_bssid, ETH_ALEN)) {
-        gs_free char *bssid_str = NULL;
         memcpy(priv->current_ap_bssid, bssid, ETH_ALEN);
-        bssid_str = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa(bssid, ETH_ALEN);
-        ap_changed |= nm_wifi_ap_set_address(priv->current_ap, bssid_str);
+        ap_changed |= nm_wifi_ap_set_address_bin(priv->current_ap, bssid);
         ap_changed |= nm_wifi_ap_set_freq(priv->current_ap,
                                           nm_platform_wifi_get_frequency(platform, ifindex));
     }
diff --git a/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-wifi.c b/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-wifi.c
index 730b84602b..fa047067a0 100644
--- a/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-wifi.c
+++ b/src/devices/wifi/nm-device-wifi.c
@@ -3391,11 +3391,8 @@ activation_success_handler(NMDevice *device)
                                                 update_bssid ? bssid : NULL,
                                                 NULL,
                                                 update_rate ? &rate : NULL)) {
-                if (update_bssid && nm_ethernet_address_is_valid(bssid, ETH_ALEN)) {
-                    gs_free char *bssid_str = NULL;
-                    bssid_str               = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa(bssid, ETH_ALEN);
-                    ap_changed |= nm_wifi_ap_set_address(priv->current_ap, bssid_str);
-                }
+                if (update_bssid && nm_ethernet_address_is_valid(bssid, ETH_ALEN))
+                    ap_changed |= nm_wifi_ap_set_address_bin(priv->current_ap, bssid);
                 if (update_rate)
                     ap_changed |= nm_wifi_ap_set_max_bitrate(priv->current_ap, rate);
             }