diff --git a/components/bt/esp_ble_mesh/mesh_core/test.c b/components/bt/esp_ble_mesh/mesh_core/test.c
index 8f23233020..18b78b910b 100644
--- a/components/bt/esp_ble_mesh/mesh_core/test.c
+++ b/components/bt/esp_ble_mesh/mesh_core/test.c
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ int bt_mesh_device_auto_enter_network(struct bt_mesh_device_network_info *info)
         return -EINVAL;
     }
 
+    bt_mesh_atomic_set_bit(bt_mesh.flags, BLE_MESH_NODE);
+
     /* The device becomes a node and enters the network */
     err = bt_mesh_provision(info->net_key, info->net_idx, info->flags, info->iv_index,
                             info->unicast_addr, info->dev_key);