diff --git a/pkg/nimble/autoconn/nimble_autoconn.c b/pkg/nimble/autoconn/nimble_autoconn.c
index ac8224c885..4c9b2d6b4a 100644
--- a/pkg/nimble/autoconn/nimble_autoconn.c
+++ b/pkg/nimble/autoconn/nimble_autoconn.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ enum {
 };
 
 static volatile uint8_t _state = STATE_IDLE;
+static volatile uint8_t _enabled = 0;
 
 static bluetil_ad_t _ad;
 static uint8_t _ad_buf[BLE_HS_ADV_MAX_SZ];
@@ -94,6 +95,27 @@ static void _on_state_change(struct ble_npl_event *ev)
     }
 }
 
+static void _activate(void)
+{
+    if (_enabled && (_state == STATE_IDLE) &&
+        (nimble_netif_conn_count(NIMBLE_NETIF_UNUSED) > 0)) {
+        _state = STATE_SCAN;
+        _on_state_change(NULL);
+        DEBUG("[autoconn] ACTIVATED\n");
+    }
+}
+
+static void _deactivate(void)
+{
+    if ((_state == STATE_ADV) || (_state == STATE_SCAN)) {
+        ble_npl_callout_stop(&_state_evt);
+        nimble_scanner_stop();
+        nimble_netif_accept_stop();
+        _state = STATE_IDLE;
+        DEBUG("[autoconn] DEACTIVATED\n");
+    }
+}
+
 static int _filter_uuid(const bluetil_ad_t *ad)
 {
     bluetil_ad_data_t incomp;
@@ -131,7 +153,7 @@ static void _on_scan_evt(uint8_t type, const ble_addr_t *addr, int8_t rssi,
     bluetil_addr_swapped_cp(addr->val, addrn);
 
     if (_filter_uuid(&ad) && !nimble_netif_conn_connected(addrn)) {
-        nimble_autoconn_disable();
+        nimble_scanner_stop();
         DEBUG("[autoconn] SCAN success, initiating connection\n");
         _state = STATE_CONN;
         int res = nimble_netif_connect(addr, &_conn_params, _conn_timeout);
@@ -161,11 +183,8 @@ static void _evt_dbg(const char *msg, int handle, const uint8_t *addr)
 static void _on_netif_evt(int handle, nimble_netif_event_t event,
                           const uint8_t *addr)
 {
-    int en = 1;
-
     switch (event) {
         case NIMBLE_NETIF_ACCEPTING:
-            en = 0;
             _evt_dbg("ACCEPTING", handle, addr);
             break;
         case NIMBLE_NETIF_ACCEPT_STOP:
@@ -173,11 +192,9 @@ static void _on_netif_evt(int handle, nimble_netif_event_t event,
             break;
         case NIMBLE_NETIF_INIT_MASTER:
             _evt_dbg("CONN_INIT master", handle, addr);
-            en = 0;
             break;
         case NIMBLE_NETIF_INIT_SLAVE:
             _evt_dbg("CONN_INIT slave", handle, addr);
-            en = 0;
             _state = STATE_CONN;
             break;
         case NIMBLE_NETIF_CONNECTED_MASTER:
@@ -206,7 +223,6 @@ static void _on_netif_evt(int handle, nimble_netif_event_t event,
             break;
         case NIMBLE_NETIF_CONN_UPDATED:
             _evt_dbg("UPDATED", handle, addr);
-            en = 0;
             break;
         default:
             /* this should never happen */
@@ -218,10 +234,8 @@ static void _on_netif_evt(int handle, nimble_netif_event_t event,
         _eventcb(handle, event, addr);
     }
 
-    /* search for the next connection possibility */
-    if (en) {
-        nimble_autoconn_enable();
-    }
+    /* if active and if free slots are available, search for new peers */
+    _activate();
 }
 
 static int _conn_update(nimble_netif_conn_t *conn, int handle, void *arg)
@@ -334,23 +348,12 @@ int nimble_autoconn_update(const nimble_autoconn_params_t *params,
 
 void nimble_autoconn_enable(void)
 {
-    if (nimble_netif_conn_count(NIMBLE_NETIF_UNUSED) > 0) {
-        DEBUG("[autoconn] ACTIVE\n");
-        /* insert a random delay */
-        ble_npl_time_t delay = (ble_npl_time_t)random_uint32_range(0,
-                                                    (uint32_t)_period_jitter);
-        _state = STATE_ADV;
-        ble_npl_callout_reset(&_state_evt, delay);
-    }
+    _enabled = 1;
+    _activate();
 }
 
 void nimble_autoconn_disable(void)
 {
-    if ((_state == STATE_ADV) || (_state == STATE_SCAN)) {
-        DEBUG("[autoconn] DISABLED\n");
-        _state = STATE_IDLE;
-        ble_npl_callout_stop(&_state_evt);
-        nimble_scanner_stop();
-        nimble_netif_accept_stop();
-    }
+    _enabled = 0;
+    _deactivate();
 }