diff --git a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.c b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.c
index d39f913af13..453b50be6fb 100644
--- a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.c
+++ b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.c
@@ -1190,6 +1190,31 @@ void thread_neighbor_list_clean(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur)
     }
 }
 
+void thread_reed_fed_neighbour_links_clean(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur)
+{
+    mac_neighbor_table_list_t *mac_table_list = &mac_neighbor_info(cur)->neighbour_list;
+
+    if (thread_i_am_router(cur)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (thread_info(cur)->thread_device_mode == THREAD_DEVICE_MODE_END_DEVICE ||
+            thread_info(cur)->thread_device_mode == THREAD_DEVICE_MODE_SLEEPY_END_DEVICE) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (!thread_info(cur)->thread_endnode_parent) {
+        return;
+    }
+    ns_list_foreach_safe(mac_neighbor_table_entry_t, cur_entry, mac_table_list) {
+        // do not remove parent entry
+        if (memcmp(cur_entry->mac64, thread_info(cur)->thread_endnode_parent->mac64, 8) != 0) {
+            tr_debug("Free short addr: %x", cur_entry->mac16);
+            mac_neighbor_table_neighbor_remove(mac_neighbor_info(cur), cur_entry);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void thread_clean_old_16_bit_address_based_addresses(protocol_interface_info_entry_t *cur)
 {
     uint8_t static_address[16];
diff --git a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.h b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.h
index 212f1ca0449..7880ff1fece 100644
--- a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.h
+++ b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_bootstrap.h
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ void thread_general_mle_receive_cb(int8_t interface_id, mle_message_t *mle_msg,
 void thread_bootstrap_ready(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur);
 int thread_bootstrap_reset(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur);
 void thread_neighbor_list_clean(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur);
+
+/* Function to remove linked neighbours for REEDs and FEDs */
+void thread_reed_fed_neighbour_links_clean(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur);
 bool thread_bootstrap_request_network_data(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur, struct thread_leader_data_s *leaderData, uint16_t short_address);
 bool thread_check_is_this_my_parent(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur, struct mac_neighbor_table_entry *entry_temp);
 void thread_clean_old_16_bit_address_based_addresses(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur);
diff --git a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_common.c b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_common.c
index a82bfebb896..a02faa1891f 100644
--- a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_common.c
+++ b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_common.c
@@ -1983,6 +1983,9 @@ void thread_partition_data_purge(protocol_interface_info_entry_t *cur)
     /* Flush address cache */
     ipv6_neighbour_cache_flush(&cur->ipv6_neighbour_cache);
 
+    /* Remove linked neighbours for REEDs and FEDs */
+    thread_reed_fed_neighbour_links_clean(cur);
+
 }
 
 bool thread_partition_match(protocol_interface_info_entry_t *cur, thread_leader_data_t *leaderData)
diff --git a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_host_bootstrap.c b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_host_bootstrap.c
index 50366616120..b7dcfdcd00a 100644
--- a/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_host_bootstrap.c
+++ b/source/6LoWPAN/Thread/thread_host_bootstrap.c
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ static void thread_network_data_clean(protocol_interface_info_entry_t *cur)
 
 static void thread_merge_prepare(protocol_interface_info_entry_t *cur)
 {
+    thread_partition_data_purge(cur);
     thread_clean_old_16_bit_address_based_addresses(cur);
     mpl_clear_realm_scope_seeds(cur);
     ipv6_route_table_remove_info(cur->id, ROUTE_THREAD_PROXIED_HOST, NULL);
     ipv6_route_table_remove_info(cur->id, ROUTE_THREAD_PROXIED_DUA_HOST, NULL);
-    thread_partition_data_purge(cur);
     thread_network_data_clean(cur);
     cur->nwk_mode = ARM_NWK_GP_IP_MODE;
 }
diff --git a/test/nanostack/unittest/stub/thread_bootstrap_stub.c b/test/nanostack/unittest/stub/thread_bootstrap_stub.c
index 83ed6ac760f..d5726755c5c 100644
--- a/test/nanostack/unittest/stub/thread_bootstrap_stub.c
+++ b/test/nanostack/unittest/stub/thread_bootstrap_stub.c
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ void thread_clean_old_16_bit_address_based_addresses(protocol_interface_info_ent
 {
 }
 
+void thread_reed_fed_neighbour_links_clean(struct protocol_interface_info_entry *cur)
+{
+}
 
 void thread_bootstrap_ready(protocol_interface_info_entry_t *cur)
 {