diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c
index 8fd274dba..e8f34c24b 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c
@@ -916,6 +916,11 @@ static esp_err_t esp_netif_dhcpc_start_api(esp_netif_api_msg_t *msg)
         return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
     }
 
+    if (esp_netif->dhcpc_status == ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED) {
+        ESP_LOGD(TAG, "dhcp client already started");
+        return ESP_ERR_ESP_NETIF_DHCP_ALREADY_STARTED;
+    }
+
     struct netif *p_netif = esp_netif->lwip_netif;
 
     esp_netif_reset_ip_info(esp_netif);
@@ -985,6 +990,11 @@ static esp_err_t esp_netif_dhcps_start_api(esp_netif_api_msg_t *msg)
         return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
     }
 
+    if (esp_netif->dhcps_status == ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED) {
+        ESP_LOGD(TAG, "dhcp server already started");
+        return ESP_ERR_ESP_NETIF_DHCP_ALREADY_STARTED;
+    }
+
     struct netif *p_netif = esp_netif->lwip_netif;
     if (p_netif != NULL && netif_is_up(p_netif)) {
         esp_netif_ip_info_t *default_ip = esp_netif->ip_info;
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c b/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c
index a3d844709..69f158cd4 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c
@@ -84,8 +84,20 @@ TEST_CASE("esp_netif: test dhcp client state transitions for wifi station", "[es
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_INIT, state);
     esp_netif_action_connected(sta, NULL, 0, NULL);
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(sta, &state));
-
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED, state);
+
+    // test manual DHCP state transitions using dhcpc-start/stop API
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_stop(sta));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(sta, &state));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STOPPED, state);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_start(sta));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(sta, &state));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED, state);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_ERR_ESP_NETIF_DHCP_ALREADY_STARTED, esp_netif_dhcpc_start(sta));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(sta, &state));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED, state);
+
+    // stop the netif and test dhcp state update
     esp_netif_action_stop(sta, NULL, 0, NULL);
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(sta, &state));
 
@@ -117,6 +129,18 @@ TEST_CASE("esp_netif: test dhcp server state transitions for wifi soft AP", "[es
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_get_status(ap, &state));
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED, state);
 
+    // test manual DHCP state transitions using dhcps-start/stop API
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_stop(ap));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_get_status(ap, &state));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STOPPED, state);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_start(ap));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_get_status(ap, &state));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED, state);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_ERR_ESP_NETIF_DHCP_ALREADY_STARTED, esp_netif_dhcps_start(ap));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_get_status(ap, &state));
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_STARTED, state);
+
+    // stop the netif and test dhcp state update
     esp_netif_action_stop(ap, NULL, 0, NULL);
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_OK, esp_netif_dhcps_get_status(ap, &state));
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(ESP_NETIF_DHCP_INIT, state);