diff --git a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc
index c9caa1864..01fcbb03e 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc
+++ b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc
@@ -2099,19 +2099,20 @@ HeFrameExchangeManager::IntraBssNavResetTimeout()
     m_channelAccessManager->NotifyNavResetNow(basicNav);
 }
 
-void
-HeFrameExchangeManager::SetTxopHolder(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxVector& txVector)
+std::optional<Mac48Address>
+HeFrameExchangeManager::FindTxopHolder(const WifiMacHeader& hdr, const WifiTxVector& txVector)
 {
-    NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this << psdu << txVector);
+    NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this << hdr << txVector);
 
-    if (psdu->GetHeader(0).IsTrigger() && psdu->GetAddr2() == m_bssid)
+    if (hdr.IsTrigger() && hdr.GetAddr2() == m_bssid)
     {
-        m_txopHolder = m_bssid;
+        return m_bssid;
     }
-    else if (!txVector.IsUlMu()) // the sender of a TB PPDU is not the TXOP holder
+    if (!txVector.IsUlMu()) // the sender of a TB PPDU is not the TXOP holder
     {
-        VhtFrameExchangeManager::SetTxopHolder(psdu, txVector);
+        return VhtFrameExchangeManager::FindTxopHolder(hdr, txVector);
     }
+    return std::nullopt;
 }
 
 bool
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h
index a11e63c92..11274edf7 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h
+++ b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ class HeFrameExchangeManager : public VhtFrameExchangeManager
     void SetWifiMac(const Ptr<WifiMac> mac) override;
     void CalculateAcknowledgmentTime(WifiAcknowledgment* acknowledgment) const override;
     void CalculateProtectionTime(WifiProtection* protection) const override;
-    void SetTxopHolder(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxVector& txVector) override;
+    std::optional<Mac48Address> FindTxopHolder(const WifiMacHeader& hdr,
+                                               const WifiTxVector& txVector) override;
     bool VirtualCsMediumIdle() const override;
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc b/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc
index 12a43cac2..1a175ab6e 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc
+++ b/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc
@@ -704,8 +704,16 @@ void
 QosFrameExchangeManager::SetTxopHolder(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxVector& txVector)
 {
     NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this << psdu << txVector);
+    if (auto txopHolder = FindTxopHolder(psdu->GetHeader(0), txVector))
+    {
+        m_txopHolder = *txopHolder;
+    }
+}
 
-    const WifiMacHeader& hdr = psdu->GetHeader(0);
+std::optional<Mac48Address>
+QosFrameExchangeManager::FindTxopHolder(const WifiMacHeader& hdr, const WifiTxVector& txVector)
+{
+    NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this << hdr << txVector);
 
     // A STA shall save the TXOP holder address for the BSS in which it is associated.
     // The TXOP holder address is the MAC address from the Address 2 field of the frame
@@ -714,12 +722,13 @@ QosFrameExchangeManager::SetTxopHolder(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxVec
     if ((hdr.IsQosData() || hdr.IsMgt() || hdr.IsRts()) &&
         (hdr.GetAddr1() == m_bssid || hdr.GetAddr2() == m_bssid))
     {
-        m_txopHolder = psdu->GetAddr2();
+        return hdr.GetAddr2();
     }
-    else if (hdr.IsCts() && hdr.GetAddr1() == m_bssid)
+    if (hdr.IsCts() && hdr.GetAddr1() == m_bssid)
     {
-        m_txopHolder = psdu->GetAddr1();
+        return hdr.GetAddr1();
     }
+    return std::nullopt;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.h b/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.h
index a617c12d3..ac2422fe2 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.h
+++ b/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.h
@@ -171,12 +171,14 @@ class QosFrameExchangeManager : public FrameExchangeManager
     virtual bool SendCfEndIfNeeded();
 
     /**
-     * Set the TXOP holder, if needed, based on the received frame
+     * Determine the holder of the TXOP, if possible, based on the received frame
      *
-     * \param psdu the received PSDU
+     * \param hdr the MAC header of an MPDU included in the received PSDU
      * \param txVector TX vector of the received PSDU
+     * \return the holder of the TXOP, if one was found
      */
-    virtual void SetTxopHolder(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxVector& txVector);
+    virtual std::optional<Mac48Address> FindTxopHolder(const WifiMacHeader& hdr,
+                                                       const WifiTxVector& txVector);
 
     /**
      * Clear the TXOP holder if the NAV counted down to zero (includes the case of NAV reset).
@@ -189,6 +191,14 @@ class QosFrameExchangeManager : public FrameExchangeManager
                                                    QoS Control field of QoS data frames */
 
   private:
+    /**
+     * Set the TXOP holder, if needed, based on the received frame
+     *
+     * \param psdu the received PSDU
+     * \param txVector TX vector of the received PSDU
+     */
+    void SetTxopHolder(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxVector& txVector);
+
     /**
      * Cancel the PIFS recovery event and have the EDCAF attempting PIFS recovery
      * release the channel.