diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c b/drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c
index 96bca89d1b99..6c45e86a8a72 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c
@@ -947,6 +947,17 @@ int btintel_download_firmware(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 		return -EALREADY;
 	}
 
+	/* The firmware variant determines if the device is in bootloader
+	 * mode or is running operational firmware. The value 0x06 identifies
+	 * the bootloader and the value 0x23 identifies the operational
+	 * firmware.
+	 *
+	 * If the firmware version has changed that means it needs to be reset
+	 * to bootloader when operational so the new firmware can be loaded.
+	 */
+	if (ver->fw_variant == 0x23)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	err = btintel_sfi_rsa_header_secure_send(hdev, fw);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
@@ -974,6 +985,17 @@ int btintel_download_firmware_newgen(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 		return -EALREADY;
 	}
 
+	/* The firmware variant determines if the device is in bootloader
+	 * mode or is running operational firmware. The value 0x03 identifies
+	 * the bootloader and the value 0x23 identifies the operational
+	 * firmware.
+	 *
+	 * If the firmware version has changed that means it needs to be reset
+	 * to bootloader when operational so the new firmware can be loaded.
+	 */
+	if (ver->img_type == 0x03)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	/* iBT hardware variants 0x0b, 0x0c, 0x11, 0x12, 0x13, 0x14 support
 	 * only RSA secure boot engine. Hence, the corresponding sfi file will
 	 * have RSA header of 644 bytes followed by Command Buffer.
diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.c b/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.c
index c92060e7472c..f9c1f78cd80a 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.c
@@ -2469,14 +2469,30 @@ static int btusb_send_frame_intel(struct hci_dev *hdev, struct sk_buff *skb)
 	return -EILSEQ;
 }
 
-static bool btusb_setup_intel_new_get_fw_name(struct intel_version *ver,
+static int btusb_setup_intel_new_get_fw_name(struct intel_version *ver,
 					     struct intel_boot_params *params,
 					     char *fw_name, size_t len,
 					     const char *suffix)
 {
+	/* The hardware platform number has a fixed value of 0x37 and
+	 * for now only accept this single value.
+	 */
+	if (ver->hw_platform != 0x37)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	switch (ver->hw_variant) {
 	case 0x0b:	/* SfP */
 	case 0x0c:	/* WsP */
+		/* The firmware variant determines if the device is in
+		 * bootloader mode or is running operational firmware.
+		 *
+		 * Version checking cannot be performed in these models since
+		 * the firmware versioning depends on the firmware being in
+		 * bootloader mode.
+		 */
+		if (ver->fw_variant == 0x23)
+			return -EALREADY;
+
 		snprintf(fw_name, len, "intel/ibt-%u-%u.%s",
 			le16_to_cpu(ver->hw_variant),
 			le16_to_cpu(params->dev_revid),
@@ -2493,9 +2509,10 @@ static bool btusb_setup_intel_new_get_fw_name(struct intel_version *ver,
 			suffix);
 		break;
 	default:
-		return false;
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
-	return true;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void btusb_setup_intel_newgen_get_fw_name(const struct intel_version_tlv *ver_tlv,
@@ -2550,7 +2567,6 @@ static int btusb_intel_download_firmware_newgen(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 	if (ver->img_type == 0x03) {
 		clear_bit(BTUSB_BOOTLOADER, &data->flags);
 		btintel_check_bdaddr(hdev);
-		return 0;
 	}
 
 	/* Check for supported iBT hardware variants of this firmware
@@ -2694,35 +2710,6 @@ static int btusb_intel_download_firmware(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 	if (!ver || !params)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	/* The hardware platform number has a fixed value of 0x37 and
-	 * for now only accept this single value.
-	 */
-	if (ver->hw_platform != 0x37) {
-		bt_dev_err(hdev, "Unsupported Intel hardware platform (%u)",
-			   ver->hw_platform);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
-	/* Check for supported iBT hardware variants of this firmware
-	 * loading method.
-	 *
-	 * This check has been put in place to ensure correct forward
-	 * compatibility options when newer hardware variants come along.
-	 */
-	switch (ver->hw_variant) {
-	case 0x0b:	/* SfP */
-	case 0x0c:	/* WsP */
-	case 0x11:	/* JfP */
-	case 0x12:	/* ThP */
-	case 0x13:	/* HrP */
-	case 0x14:	/* CcP */
-		break;
-	default:
-		bt_dev_err(hdev, "Unsupported Intel hardware variant (%u)",
-			   ver->hw_variant);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	btintel_version_info(hdev, ver);
 
 	/* The firmware variant determines if the device is in bootloader
@@ -2741,16 +2728,8 @@ static int btusb_intel_download_firmware(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 	if (ver->fw_variant == 0x23) {
 		clear_bit(BTUSB_BOOTLOADER, &data->flags);
 		btintel_check_bdaddr(hdev);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	/* If the device is not in bootloader mode, then the only possible
-	 * choice is to return an error and abort the device initialization.
-	 */
-	if (ver->fw_variant != 0x06) {
-		bt_dev_err(hdev, "Unsupported Intel firmware variant (%u)",
-			   ver->fw_variant);
-		return -ENODEV;
+		/* Proceed to download to check if the version matches */
+		goto download;
 	}
 
 	/* Read the secure boot parameters to identify the operating
@@ -2778,6 +2757,7 @@ static int btusb_intel_download_firmware(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 		set_bit(HCI_QUIRK_INVALID_BDADDR, &hdev->quirks);
 	}
 
+download:
 	/* With this Intel bootloader only the hardware variant and device
 	 * revision information are used to select the right firmware for SfP
 	 * and WsP.
@@ -2801,7 +2781,13 @@ static int btusb_intel_download_firmware(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 	 */
 	err = btusb_setup_intel_new_get_fw_name(ver, params, fwname,
 						sizeof(fwname), "sfi");
-	if (!err) {
+	if (err < 0) {
+		if (err == -EALREADY) {
+			/* Firmware has already been loaded */
+			set_bit(BTUSB_FIRMWARE_LOADED, &data->flags);
+			goto done;
+		}
+
 		bt_dev_err(hdev, "Unsupported Intel firmware naming");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
@@ -2972,8 +2958,7 @@ static int btusb_setup_intel_new(struct hci_dev *hdev)
 
 	err = btusb_setup_intel_new_get_fw_name(&ver, &params, ddcname,
 						sizeof(ddcname), "ddc");
-
-	if (!err) {
+	if (err < 0) {
 		bt_dev_err(hdev, "Unsupported Intel firmware naming");
 	} else {
 		/* Once the device is running in operational mode, it needs to
