diff --git a/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.cpp b/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.cpp
index cff4f79c8c..248e729910 100644
--- a/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.cpp
+++ b/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.cpp
@@ -169,7 +169,10 @@ void ESP8266Interface::_oob2global_event_queue()
 
 int ESP8266Interface::connect()
 {
-    nsapi_error_t status;
+    nsapi_error_t status = _conn_status_to_error();
+    if (status != NSAPI_ERROR_NO_CONNECTION) {
+        return status;
+    }
 
     if (strlen(ap_ssid) == 0) {
         return NSAPI_ERROR_NO_SSID;
@@ -199,6 +202,11 @@ int ESP8266Interface::connect()
 
 int ESP8266Interface::set_credentials(const char *ssid, const char *pass, nsapi_security_t security)
 {
+    nsapi_error_t status = _conn_status_to_error();
+    if (status != NSAPI_ERROR_NO_CONNECTION) {
+        return status;
+    }
+
     _ap_sec = security;
 
     if (!ssid) {
@@ -246,8 +254,8 @@ int ESP8266Interface::disconnect()
 {
     _initialized = false;
 
-    if (_conn_stat == NSAPI_STATUS_DISCONNECTED || !get_ip_address())
-    {
+    nsapi_error_t status = _conn_status_to_error();
+    if (status == NSAPI_ERROR_NO_CONNECTION || !get_ip_address()) {
         return NSAPI_ERROR_NO_CONNECTION;
     }
 
@@ -716,4 +724,27 @@ void ESP8266Interface::proc_oob_evnt()
         _esp.bg_process_oob(ESP8266_RECV_TIMEOUT, true);
 }
 
+nsapi_error_t ESP8266Interface::_conn_status_to_error()
+{
+    nsapi_error_t ret;
+
+    _esp.bg_process_oob(ESP8266_RECV_TIMEOUT, true);
+
+    switch (_conn_stat) {
+        case NSAPI_STATUS_DISCONNECTED:
+            ret = NSAPI_ERROR_NO_CONNECTION;
+            break;
+        case NSAPI_STATUS_CONNECTING:
+            ret = NSAPI_ERROR_ALREADY;
+            break;
+        case NSAPI_STATUS_GLOBAL_UP:
+            ret = NSAPI_ERROR_IS_CONNECTED;
+            break;
+        default:
+            ret = NSAPI_ERROR_DEVICE_ERROR;
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.h b/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.h
index 415e291d7d..9281a5a582 100644
--- a/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.h
+++ b/components/wifi/esp8266-driver/ESP8266Interface.h
@@ -341,6 +341,9 @@ private:
     char ap_pass[ESP8266_PASSPHRASE_MAX_LENGTH + 1]; /* The longest possible passphrase; +1 for the \0 */
     nsapi_security_t _ap_sec;
 
+    // connect status reporting
+    nsapi_error_t _conn_status_to_error();
+
     // Drivers's socket info
     struct _sock_info {
         bool open;