diff --git a/src/hci.c b/src/hci.c
index 9dbd86647..387b0d97e 100644
--- a/src/hci.c
+++ b/src/hci.c
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ static void hci_trigger_remote_features_for_connection(hci_connection_t * connec
 // called from test/ble_client/advertising_data_parser.c
 void le_handle_advertisement_report(uint8_t *packet, uint16_t size);
 static uint8_t hci_whitelist_remove(bd_addr_type_t address_type, const bd_addr_t address);
+static void hci_whitelist_free(void);
 static hci_connection_t * gap_get_outgoing_connection(void);
 #endif
 #endif
@@ -5006,16 +5007,7 @@ static void hci_run(void){
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_BLE
 #ifdef ENABLE_LE_CENTRAL
-                    // free whitelist entries
-                    {
-                        btstack_linked_list_iterator_t lit;
-                        btstack_linked_list_iterator_init(&lit, &hci_stack->le_whitelist);
-                        while (btstack_linked_list_iterator_has_next(&lit)){
-                            whitelist_entry_t * entry = (whitelist_entry_t*) btstack_linked_list_iterator_next(&lit);
-                            btstack_linked_list_remove(&hci_stack->le_whitelist, (btstack_linked_item_t *) entry);
-                            btstack_memory_whitelist_entry_free(entry);
-                        }
-                    }
+                    hci_whitelist_free();
 #endif
 #endif
                     // close all open connections
@@ -6242,6 +6234,17 @@ static void hci_whitelist_clear(void){
     }
 }
 
+// free all entries unconditionally
+static void hci_whitelist_free(void){
+    btstack_linked_list_iterator_t lit;
+    btstack_linked_list_iterator_init(&lit, &hci_stack->le_whitelist);
+    while (btstack_linked_list_iterator_has_next(&lit)){
+        whitelist_entry_t * entry = (whitelist_entry_t*) btstack_linked_list_iterator_next(&lit);
+        btstack_linked_list_remove(&hci_stack->le_whitelist, (btstack_linked_item_t *) entry);
+        btstack_memory_whitelist_entry_free(entry);
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * @brief Clear Whitelist
  * @return 0 if ok