diff --git a/src/p2p/p2p.c b/src/p2p/p2p.c
index 26b86a8bc..f3414dd9e 100644
--- a/src/p2p/p2p.c
+++ b/src/p2p/p2p.c
@@ -1190,6 +1190,13 @@ static void p2p_prepare_channel_best(struct p2p_data *p2p)
 		p2p_dbg(p2p, "Select best 2.4 GHz channel as operating channel preference");
 		p2p->op_reg_class = op_class;
 		p2p->op_channel = op_channel;
+	} else if (p2p->cfg->num_pref_chan > 0 &&
+		   p2p_channels_includes(&p2p->cfg->channels,
+					 p2p->cfg->pref_chan[0].op_class,
+					 p2p->cfg->pref_chan[0].chan)) {
+		p2p_dbg(p2p, "Select first pref_chan entry as operating channel preference");
+		p2p->op_reg_class = p2p->cfg->pref_chan[0].op_class;
+		p2p->op_channel = p2p->cfg->pref_chan[0].chan;
 	} else {
 		p2p_dbg(p2p, "Select pre-configured channel as operating channel preference");
 		p2p->op_reg_class = p2p->cfg->op_reg_class;