diff --git a/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.c b/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.c
index 9cba27bf4f7..0fa2d77f7a6 100644
--- a/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.c
+++ b/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.c
@@ -384,13 +384,20 @@ MODEM_CMD_DEFINE(on_cmd_wifi_connected)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-MODEM_CMD_DEFINE(on_cmd_wifi_disconnected)
+static void esp_mgmt_disconnect_work(struct k_work *work)
 {
-	struct esp_data *dev = CONTAINER_OF(data, struct esp_data,
-					    cmd_handler_data);
+	struct esp_socket *sock;
+	struct esp_data *dev;
 
-	if (!esp_flags_are_set(dev, EDF_STA_CONNECTED)) {
-		return 0;
+	dev = CONTAINER_OF(work, struct esp_data, disconnect_work);
+
+	/* Cleanup any sockets that weren't closed */
+	for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(dev->sockets); i++) {
+		sock = &dev->sockets[i];
+		if (esp_socket_connected(sock)) {
+			LOG_WRN("Socket %d left open, manually closing", i);
+			esp_socket_close(sock);
+		}
 	}
 
 	esp_flags_clear(dev, EDF_STA_CONNECTED);
@@ -398,6 +405,16 @@ MODEM_CMD_DEFINE(on_cmd_wifi_disconnected)
 
 	net_if_ipv4_addr_rm(dev->net_iface, &dev->ip);
 	wifi_mgmt_raise_disconnect_result_event(dev->net_iface, 0);
+}
+
+MODEM_CMD_DEFINE(on_cmd_wifi_disconnected)
+{
+	struct esp_data *dev = CONTAINER_OF(data, struct esp_data,
+					    cmd_handler_data);
+
+	if (esp_flags_are_set(dev, EDF_STA_CONNECTED)) {
+		k_work_submit_to_queue(&dev->workq, &dev->disconnect_work);
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1102,6 +1119,7 @@ static int esp_init(const struct device *dev)
 	k_work_init_delayable(&data->ip_addr_work, esp_ip_addr_work);
 	k_work_init(&data->scan_work, esp_mgmt_scan_work);
 	k_work_init(&data->connect_work, esp_mgmt_connect_work);
+	k_work_init(&data->disconnect_work, esp_mgmt_disconnect_work);
 	k_work_init(&data->mode_switch_work, esp_mode_switch_work);
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_WIFI_ESP_AT_DNS_USE)) {
 		k_work_init(&data->dns_work, esp_dns_work);
diff --git a/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.h b/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.h
index 2a08b33844b..4a0b141f064 100644
--- a/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.h
+++ b/drivers/wifi/esp_at/esp.h
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ struct esp_data {
 	struct k_work_delayable ip_addr_work;
 	struct k_work scan_work;
 	struct k_work connect_work;
+	struct k_work disconnect_work;
 	struct k_work mode_switch_work;
 	struct k_work dns_work;