diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.c b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.c
index ae502793927..9cc0fc63694 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.c
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.c
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ uint8_t bt_mesh_elem_count(void)
 	return dev_comp->elem_count;
 }
 
-static bool model_has_key(struct bt_mesh_model *mod, uint16_t key)
+bool bt_mesh_model_has_key(struct bt_mesh_model *mod, uint16_t key)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ void bt_mesh_model_recv(struct bt_mesh_net_rx *rx, struct net_buf_simple *buf)
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (!model_has_key(model, rx->ctx.app_idx)) {
+		if (!bt_mesh_model_has_key(model, rx->ctx.app_idx)) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ int bt_mesh_model_send(struct bt_mesh_model *model, struct bt_mesh_msg_ctx *ctx,
 		       struct net_buf_simple *msg,
 		       const struct bt_mesh_send_cb *cb, void *cb_data)
 {
-	if (!model_has_key(model, ctx->app_idx)) {
+	if (!bt_mesh_model_has_key(model, ctx->app_idx)) {
 		BT_ERR("Model not bound to AppKey 0x%04x", ctx->app_idx);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.h b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.h
index 17b1944b883..592ae43024f 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.h
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/access.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ uint8_t bt_mesh_elem_count(void);
 struct bt_mesh_elem *bt_mesh_elem_find(uint16_t addr);
 
 bool bt_mesh_has_addr(uint16_t addr);
+bool bt_mesh_model_has_key(struct bt_mesh_model *mod, uint16_t key);
 
 void bt_mesh_model_extensions_walk(struct bt_mesh_model *root,
 				   enum bt_mesh_walk (*cb)(struct bt_mesh_model *mod,
diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/cfg_srv.c b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/cfg_srv.c
index fe96129dbe4..6313282a85a 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/cfg_srv.c
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/cfg_srv.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ static uint8_t _mod_pub_set(struct bt_mesh_model *model, uint16_t pub_addr,
 		return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 	}
 
-	if (!bt_mesh_app_key_exists(app_idx)) {
+	if (!bt_mesh_app_key_exists(app_idx) || !bt_mesh_model_has_key(model, app_idx)) {
 		return STATUS_INVALID_APPKEY;
 	}