diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericGap.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericGap.h
index 4a8961f691..91a5e698bf 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericGap.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericGap.h
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ private:
     );
 
     void on_scan_timeout_();
-
+    void process_legacy_scan_timeout();
 
 private:
     pal::EventQueue &_event_queue;
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericGap.tpp b/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericGap.tpp
index 33e23f4175..0d0e4005cc 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericGap.tpp
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericGap.tpp
@@ -1605,21 +1605,36 @@ void GenericGap<PalGapImpl, PalSecurityManager, ConnectionEventMonitorEventHandl
         return;
     }
 
-    /* if timeout happened on a 4.2 chip we need to stop the scan manually */
-    if (!is_extended_advertising_available()) {
-        _pal_gap.scan_enable(false, false);
-#if BLE_FEATURE_PRIVACY
-        set_random_address_rotation(false);
-#endif
-    }
-
     _scan_enabled = false;
 
-    if (!_eventHandler) {
-        return;
+    if (!is_extended_advertising_available()) {
+        /* if timeout happened on a 4.2 chip this means legacy scanning and a timer timeout
+         * but we need to handle the event from user context - use the event queue to handle it */
+        _event_queue.post(
+            mbed::callback(
+                this,
+                &GenericGap::process_legacy_scan_timeout
+            )
+        );
+    } else {
+        if (_eventHandler) {
+            _eventHandler->onScanTimeout(ScanTimeoutEvent());
+        }
     }
+}
 
-    _eventHandler->onScanTimeout(ScanTimeoutEvent());
+template <template<class> class PalGapImpl, class PalSecurityManager, class ConnectionEventMonitorEventHandler>
+void GenericGap<PalGapImpl, PalSecurityManager, ConnectionEventMonitorEventHandler>::process_legacy_scan_timeout()
+{
+    /* legacy scanning timed out is based on timer so we need to stop the scan manually */
+    _pal_gap.scan_enable(false, false);
+#if BLE_FEATURE_PRIVACY
+    set_random_address_rotation(false);
+#endif
+
+    if (_eventHandler) {
+        _eventHandler->onScanTimeout(ScanTimeoutEvent());
+    }
 }
 
 template <template<class> class PalGapImpl, class PalSecurityManager, class ConnectionEventMonitorEventHandler>