diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/controller/hci/hci.c b/subsys/bluetooth/controller/hci/hci.c
index 7711aff0019eaf..54f70278d22c88 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/controller/hci/hci.c
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/controller/hci/hci.c
@@ -8516,7 +8516,7 @@ static void encrypt_change(uint8_t err, uint16_t handle,
 	hci_evt_create(buf, BT_HCI_EVT_ENCRYPT_CHANGE, sizeof(*ep));
 	ep = net_buf_add(buf, sizeof(*ep));
 
-	ep->status = err;
+	ep->status = err ? err : (encryption_on ? err : BT_HCI_ERR_UNSPECIFIED);
 	ep->handle = sys_cpu_to_le16(handle);
 	ep->encrypt = encryption_on ? 1 : 0;
 }