diff --git a/src/MainController.cpp b/src/MainController.cpp
index 29e30f5..534a69a 100644
--- a/src/MainController.cpp
+++ b/src/MainController.cpp
@@ -289,8 +289,15 @@ void MainController::initInterface()
         }
         this->wifiController.createMonitorInteface();
         std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(500));
-        this->wifiController.createApInteface();
-        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(500));
+        // The AP interface is only used by FTM. measure/inject operate on the monitor interface,
+        // which createMonitorInteface() has already tuned to the requested frequency. Creating the
+        // AP unconditionally makes its bring-up fail on no-IR channels (e.g. 5/6 GHz under the world
+        // regdomain 00), which throws and aborts the whole run.
+        if (Arguments::arguments.ftm || Arguments::arguments.ftmResponder)
+        {
+            this->wifiController.createApInteface();
+            std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(500));
+        }
     }
     catch(const std::exception& e)
     {
@@ -311,7 +318,11 @@ void *MainController::measureCsi(void *arg)
 {
     try
     {
-        MainController::getInstance()->wifiController.setInterfaceUpDown(AP_INTERFACE_NAME, false);
+        // The AP interface only exists for FTM (see initInterface); don't touch it otherwise.
+        if (Arguments::arguments.ftm || Arguments::arguments.ftmResponder)
+        {
+            MainController::getInstance()->wifiController.setInterfaceUpDown(AP_INTERFACE_NAME, false);
+        }
         MainController::getInstance()->wifiController.setInterfaceUpDown(MONITOR_INTERFACE_NAME, true);
         WiFiCsiController wcs;
         wcs.init();
@@ -488,7 +499,11 @@ void *MainController::injectPackets(void *arg)
 {
     try
     {
-        MainController::getInstance()->wifiController.setInterfaceUpDown(AP_INTERFACE_NAME, false);
+        // The AP interface only exists for FTM (see initInterface); don't touch it otherwise.
+        if (Arguments::arguments.ftm || Arguments::arguments.ftmResponder)
+        {
+            MainController::getInstance()->wifiController.setInterfaceUpDown(AP_INTERFACE_NAME, false);
+        }
         MainController::getInstance()->wifiController.setInterfaceUpDown(MONITOR_INTERFACE_NAME, true);
         PacketInjector pi;
         if (Arguments::arguments.injectRepeat)