diff --git a/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/src/emqx_mqttsn_channel.erl b/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/src/emqx_mqttsn_channel.erl
index e7061e4a5..d37979ced 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/src/emqx_mqttsn_channel.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/src/emqx_mqttsn_channel.erl
@@ -443,6 +443,12 @@ handle_in(
 handle_in(?SN_ADVERTISE_MSG(_GwId, _Radius), Channel) ->
     % ignore
     shutdown(normal, Channel);
+%% Ack DISCONNECT even if it is not connected
+handle_in(
+    ?SN_DISCONNECT_MSG(_Duration),
+    Channel = #channel{conn_state = idle}
+) ->
+    handle_out(disconnect, normal, Channel);
 handle_in(
     Publish =
         ?SN_PUBLISH_MSG(
diff --git a/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/test/emqx_sn_protocol_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/test/emqx_sn_protocol_SUITE.erl
index 55120e7fa..0c4c4e6bf 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/test/emqx_sn_protocol_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_gateway_mqttsn/test/emqx_sn_protocol_SUITE.erl
@@ -176,6 +176,18 @@ t_connect(_) ->
     ?assertEqual(<<3, ?SN_CONNACK, 0>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     send_disconnect_msg(Socket, undefined),
+    %% assert: mqttsn gateway will ack disconnect msg with DISCONNECT packet
+    ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
+    gen_udp:close(Socket).
+
+t_first_disconnect(_) ->
+    SockName = {'mqttsn:udp:default', 1884},
+    ?assertEqual(true, lists:keymember(SockName, 1, esockd:listeners())),
+
+    {ok, Socket} = gen_udp:open(0, [binary]),
+    send_disconnect_msg(Socket, undefined),
+
+    %% assert: mqttsn gateway will ack disconnect msg with DISCONNECT packet
     ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
     gen_udp:close(Socket).
 
@@ -1217,7 +1229,7 @@ t_will_case01(_) ->
     ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     send_disconnect_msg(Socket, undefined),
-    ?assertEqual(udp_receive_timeout, receive_response(Socket)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     gen_udp:close(Socket).
 
@@ -1244,7 +1256,7 @@ t_will_test2(_) ->
     receive_response(Socket),
 
     send_disconnect_msg(Socket, undefined),
-    ?assertEqual(udp_receive_timeout, receive_response(Socket)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     gen_udp:close(Socket).
 
@@ -1265,7 +1277,7 @@ t_will_test3(_) ->
     ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     send_disconnect_msg(Socket, undefined),
-    ?assertEqual(udp_receive_timeout, receive_response(Socket)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     gen_udp:close(Socket).
 
@@ -1294,7 +1306,7 @@ t_will_test4(_) ->
     receive_response(Socket),
 
     send_disconnect_msg(Socket, undefined),
-    ?assertEqual(udp_receive_timeout, receive_response(Socket)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<2, ?SN_DISCONNECT>>, receive_response(Socket)),
 
     gen_udp:close(Socket).
 
diff --git a/changes/ce/fix-12176.en.md b/changes/ce/fix-12176.en.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb42773e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ce/fix-12176.en.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Ack the DISCONNECT packet to MQTT-SN client regardless of whether the connection has been successfully established.