diff --git a/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth.go b/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth.go
index 94af38579..f8062eb41 100644
--- a/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth.go
+++ b/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth.go
@@ -343,7 +343,6 @@ func (d *DevAuth) handlePreAuthDevice(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	aset *model.AuthSet,
 ) (*model.AuthSet, error) {
-	var deviceAlreadyAccepted bool
 	// check the device status
 	// if the device status is accepted then do not trigger provisioning workflow
 	// this needs to be checked before changing authentication set status
@@ -351,6 +350,7 @@ func (d *DevAuth) handlePreAuthDevice(
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	deviceAlreadyAccepted := dev.Status == model.DevStatusAccepted
 
 	// check if the device is in the decommissioning state
 	if dev.Decommissioning {
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ func (d *DevAuth) handlePreAuthDevice(
 	}
 
 	currentStatus := dev.Status
-	if dev.Status != model.DevStatusAccepted {
+	if !deviceAlreadyAccepted {
 		// auth set is ok for auto-accepting, check device limit
 		allow, err := d.canAcceptDevice(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -824,14 +824,18 @@ func (d *DevAuth) AcceptDeviceAuth(ctx context.Context, device_id string, auth_i
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// possible race, consider accept-count-unaccept pattern if that's problematic
-	allow, err := d.canAcceptDevice(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	deviceAlreadyAccepted := dev.Status == model.DevStatusAccepted
+
+	if !deviceAlreadyAccepted {
+		// possible race, consider accept-count-unaccept pattern if that's problematic
+		allow, err := d.canAcceptDevice(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
-	if !allow {
-		return ErrMaxDeviceCountReached
+		if !allow {
+			return ErrMaxDeviceCountReached
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err := d.setAuthSetStatus(ctx, device_id, auth_id, model.DevStatusAccepted); err != nil {
diff --git a/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth_test.go b/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth_test.go
index 421adf13b..6014514c4 100644
--- a/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth_test.go
+++ b/backend/services/deviceauth/devauth/devauth_test.go
@@ -767,7 +767,6 @@ func TestDevAuthSubmitAuthRequestPreauth(t *testing.T) {
 			res: "dummytoken",
 			expectedWorkflows: map[string]error{
 				"update_device_status":    nil,
-				"provision_device":        nil,
 				"update_device_inventory": nil,
 			},
 		},