diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/pb_gatt_srv.c b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/pb_gatt_srv.c
index f409914ab94..945ac48e92e 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/pb_gatt_srv.c
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/pb_gatt_srv.c
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ int bt_mesh_pb_gatt_srv_adv_start(void)
 {
 	BT_DBG("");
 
-	if (!service_registered || bt_mesh_is_provisioned()) {
+	if (!service_registered || bt_mesh_is_provisioned() ||
+	    bt_mesh_proxy_conn_count_get() == CONFIG_BT_MAX_CONN) {
 		return -ENOTSUP;
 	}