diff --git a/modules/hostap/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/hostap/CMakeLists.txt
index c30faaf9e5d..5c750f545d2 100644
--- a/modules/hostap/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/hostap/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ zephyr_library_sources(
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/comeback_token.c
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/ieee802_11_ht.c
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/ieee802_11_shared.c
-  ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/ieee802_11_vht.c
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/ieee802_1x.c
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/neighbor_db.c
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/p2p_hostapd.c
@@ -213,6 +212,10 @@ zephyr_library_sources(
   ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/utils/ip_addr.c
 )
 
+zephyr_library_sources_ifdef(CONFIG_WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AC
+  ${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/ieee802_11_vht.c
+)
+
 if (CONFIG_WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_MBO)
   zephyr_library_sources(${HOSTAP_SRC_BASE}/ap/mbo_ap.c)
 endif()
@@ -227,11 +230,14 @@ zephyr_library_compile_definitions(
   CONFIG_NO_VLAN
   CONFIG_NO_ACCOUNTING
   NEED_AP_MLME
-  CONFIG_IEEE80211AC
   EAP_SERVER
   EAP_SERVER_IDENTITY
 )
 
+zephyr_library_compile_definitions_ifdef(CONFIG_WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AC
+  CONFIG_IEEE80211AC
+)
+
 zephyr_library_compile_definitions_ifdef(CONFIG_WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AX
   CONFIG_IEEE80211AX
 )
diff --git a/modules/hostap/Kconfig b/modules/hostap/Kconfig
index f488bb50dfe..32cf2141343 100644
--- a/modules/hostap/Kconfig
+++ b/modules/hostap/Kconfig
@@ -358,6 +358,11 @@ config WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_DPP
 	select MBEDTLS_X509_CSR_WRITE_C
 	select MBEDTLS_X509_CSR_PARSE_C
 
+config WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AC
+	bool "IEEE 802.11ac VHT support"
+	depends on WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_AP || WIFI_NM_HOSTAPD_AP
+	default y
+
 config WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AX
 	bool "IEEE 802.11ax HE support"
 	depends on WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_AP || WIFI_NM_HOSTAPD_AP
diff --git a/modules/hostap/src/hapd_main.c b/modules/hostap/src/hapd_main.c
index 994b5d9270d..8ae6a7b8fca 100644
--- a/modules/hostap/src/hapd_main.c
+++ b/modules/hostap/src/hapd_main.c
@@ -375,9 +375,11 @@ struct hostapd_config *hostapd_config_read2(const char *fname)
 	bss->okc = 1;
 	conf->no_pri_sec_switch = 1;
 	conf->ht_op_mode_fixed  = 1;
+#if CONFIG_WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AC
 	conf->ieee80211ac       = 1;
 	conf->vht_oper_chwidth  = CHANWIDTH_USE_HT;
 	conf->vht_capab |= VHT_CAP_MAX_A_MPDU_LENGTH_EXPONENT_MAX;
+#endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_NM_WPA_SUPPLICANT_11AX
 	conf->ieee80211ax       = 1;
 	conf->he_oper_chwidth   = CHANWIDTH_USE_HT;