diff --git a/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.cc b/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.cc
index 68f2f1b67..2dc2d479a 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.cc
+++ b/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "frame-exchange-manager.h"
 
+#include "ap-wifi-mac.h"
 #include "snr-tag.h"
 #include "sta-wifi-mac.h"
 #include "wifi-mac-queue.h"
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ FrameExchangeManager::DoDispose()
     Reset();
     m_fragmentedPacket = nullptr;
     m_mac = nullptr;
+    m_apMac = nullptr;
+    m_staMac = nullptr;
     m_txMiddle = nullptr;
     m_rxMiddle = nullptr;
     m_channelAccessManager = nullptr;
@@ -138,6 +141,8 @@ FrameExchangeManager::SetWifiMac(Ptr<WifiMac> mac)
 {
     NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this << mac);
     m_mac = mac;
+    m_apMac = DynamicCast<ApWifiMac>(m_mac);
+    m_staMac = DynamicCast<StaWifiMac>(mac);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.h b/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.h
index 1ff08f6ab..1256fc3e4 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.h
+++ b/src/wifi/model/frame-exchange-manager.h
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@
 namespace ns3
 {
 
+class ApWifiMac;
+class StaWifiMac;
+
 struct RxSignalInfo;
 struct WifiProtection;
 struct WifiAcknowledgment;
@@ -506,6 +509,8 @@ class FrameExchangeManager : public Object
     WifiTxTimer m_txTimer;                            //!< the timer set upon frame transmission
     EventId m_navResetEvent;                          //!< the event to reset the NAV after an RTS
     Ptr<WifiMac> m_mac;                               //!< the MAC layer on this station
+    Ptr<ApWifiMac> m_apMac;                           //!< AP MAC layer pointer (null if not an AP)
+    Ptr<StaWifiMac> m_staMac;                         //!< STA MAC layer pointer (null if not a STA)
     Ptr<MacTxMiddle> m_txMiddle;                      //!< the MAC TX Middle on this station
     Ptr<MacRxMiddle> m_rxMiddle;                      //!< the MAC RX Middle on this station
     Ptr<ChannelAccessManager> m_channelAccessManager; //!< the channel access manager
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc
index 2f66a259b..2f8f52610 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc
+++ b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.cc
@@ -92,14 +92,6 @@ HeFrameExchangeManager::Reset()
     VhtFrameExchangeManager::Reset();
 }
 
-void
-HeFrameExchangeManager::SetWifiMac(const Ptr<WifiMac> mac)
-{
-    m_apMac = DynamicCast<ApWifiMac>(mac);
-    m_staMac = DynamicCast<StaWifiMac>(mac);
-    VhtFrameExchangeManager::SetWifiMac(mac);
-}
-
 void
 HeFrameExchangeManager::RxStartIndication(WifiTxVector txVector, Time psduDuration)
 {
@@ -113,7 +105,6 @@ void
 HeFrameExchangeManager::DoDispose()
 {
     NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this);
-    m_apMac = nullptr;
     m_staMac = nullptr;
     m_psduMap.clear();
     m_txParams.Clear();
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h
index 22d15fa62..2b510a044 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h
+++ b/src/wifi/model/he/he-frame-exchange-manager.h
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ namespace ns3
 {
 
 class MultiUserScheduler;
-class ApWifiMac;
-class StaWifiMac;
 class CtrlTriggerHeader;
 
 /**
@@ -65,7 +63,6 @@ class HeFrameExchangeManager : public VhtFrameExchangeManager
     ~HeFrameExchangeManager() override;
 
     bool StartFrameExchange(Ptr<QosTxop> edca, Time availableTime, bool initialFrame) override;
-    void SetWifiMac(const Ptr<WifiMac> mac) override;
     void CalculateAcknowledgmentTime(WifiAcknowledgment* acknowledgment) const override;
     void CalculateProtectionTime(WifiProtection* protection) const override;
     std::optional<Mac48Address> FindTxopHolder(const WifiMacHeader& hdr,
@@ -362,8 +359,6 @@ class HeFrameExchangeManager : public VhtFrameExchangeManager
      */
     virtual void ReceivedQosNullAfterBsrpTf(Mac48Address sender);
 
-    Ptr<ApWifiMac> m_apMac;          //!< MAC pointer (null if not an AP)
-    Ptr<StaWifiMac> m_staMac;        //!< MAC pointer (null if not a STA)
     WifiTxVector m_trigVector;       //!< the TRIGVECTOR
     Time m_intraBssNavEnd;           //!< intra-BSS NAV expiration time
     EventId m_intraBssNavResetEvent; //!< the event to reset the intra-BSS NAV after an RTS
diff --git a/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc b/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc
index 46cfaee5b..29b615411 100644
--- a/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc
+++ b/src/wifi/model/qos-frame-exchange-manager.cc
@@ -694,10 +694,9 @@ QosFrameExchangeManager::PreProcessFrame(Ptr<const WifiPsdu> psdu, const WifiTxV
                 NS_LOG_DEBUG("Station " << hdr.GetAddr2() << " reported a buffer status of "
                                         << +hdr.GetQosQueueSize()
                                         << " for tid=" << +hdr.GetQosTid());
-                StaticCast<ApWifiMac>(m_mac)->SetBufferStatus(
-                    hdr.GetQosTid(),
-                    mpdu->GetOriginal()->GetHeader().GetAddr2(),
-                    hdr.GetQosQueueSize());
+                m_apMac->SetBufferStatus(hdr.GetQosTid(),
+                                         mpdu->GetOriginal()->GetHeader().GetAddr2(),
+                                         hdr.GetQosQueueSize());
             }
         }
     }