hci_conn_hold(acl);
 
        if (acl->state == BT_OPEN || acl->state == BT_CLOSED) {
-               acl->sec_level = sec_level;
+               acl->sec_level = BT_SECURITY_LOW;
+               acl->pending_sec_level = sec_level;
                acl->auth_type = auth_type;
                hci_acl_connect(acl);
        }
 {
        BT_DBG("conn %p", conn);
 
+       if (conn->pending_sec_level > sec_level)
+               sec_level = conn->pending_sec_level;
+
        if (sec_level > conn->sec_level)
-               conn->sec_level = sec_level;
+               conn->pending_sec_level = sec_level;
        else if (conn->link_mode & HCI_LM_AUTH)
                return 1;
 
 
        if (conn->state != BT_CONFIG || !conn->out)
                return 0;
 
-       if (conn->sec_level == BT_SECURITY_SDP)
+       if (conn->pending_sec_level == BT_SECURITY_SDP)
                return 0;
 
        /* Only request authentication for SSP connections or non-SSP
         * devices with sec_level HIGH */
        if (!(hdev->ssp_mode > 0 && conn->ssp_mode > 0) &&
-                                       conn->sec_level != BT_SECURITY_HIGH)
+                               conn->pending_sec_level != BT_SECURITY_HIGH)
                return 0;
 
        return 1;
 
        conn = hci_conn_hash_lookup_handle(hdev, __le16_to_cpu(ev->handle));
        if (conn) {
-               if (!ev->status)
+               if (!ev->status) {
                        conn->link_mode |= HCI_LM_AUTH;
-               else
+                       conn->sec_level = conn->pending_sec_level;
+               } else
                        conn->sec_level = BT_SECURITY_LOW;
 
                clear_bit(HCI_CONN_AUTH_PEND, &conn->pend);