diff --git a/src/app/CommandHandler.cpp b/src/app/CommandHandler.cpp
index cabddbb1f8b57c..4a2b77aeb983cd 100644
--- a/src/app/CommandHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/app/CommandHandler.cpp
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ CHIP_ERROR CommandHandler::ProcessInvokeRequest(System::PacketBufferHandle && pa
     ReturnErrorOnFailure(invokeRequestMessage.GetTimedRequest(&mTimedRequest));
     ReturnErrorOnFailure(invokeRequestMessage.GetInvokeRequests(&invokeRequests));
 
+    VerifyOrReturnError(mpExchangeCtx != nullptr, CHIP_ERROR_INCORRECT_STATE);
+
     if (mTimedRequest != isTimedInvoke)
     {
         // The message thinks it should be part of a timed interaction but it's
@@ -105,9 +107,7 @@ CHIP_ERROR CommandHandler::ProcessInvokeRequest(System::PacketBufferHandle && pa
         err = StatusResponse::Send(Protocols::InteractionModel::Status::UnsupportedAccess, mpExchangeCtx,
                                    /* aExpectResponse = */ false);
 
-        // Some unit tests call this function in an abnormal state when we don't
-        // even have an exchange.
-        if (err != CHIP_NO_ERROR && mpExchangeCtx)
+        if (err != CHIP_NO_ERROR)
         {
             // We have to manually close the exchange, because we called
             // WillSendMessage already.
@@ -252,9 +252,10 @@ CHIP_ERROR CommandHandler::ProcessCommandDataIB(CommandDataIB::Parser & aCommand
     SuccessOrExit(err);
 
     VerifyOrExit(mpCallback->CommandExists(concretePath), err = CHIP_ERROR_INVALID_PROFILE_ID);
+    VerifyOrExit(mpExchangeCtx != nullptr && mpExchangeCtx->HasSessionHandle(), err = CHIP_ERROR_INCORRECT_STATE);
 
     {
-        Access::SubjectDescriptor subjectDescriptor; // TODO: get actual subject descriptor
+        Access::SubjectDescriptor subjectDescriptor = mpExchangeCtx->GetSessionHandle()->GetSubjectDescriptor();
         Access::RequestPath requestPath{ .cluster = concretePath.mClusterId, .endpoint = concretePath.mEndpointId };
         Access::Privilege requestPrivilege = Access::Privilege::kOperate; // TODO: get actual request privilege
         err                                = Access::GetAccessControl().Check(subjectDescriptor, requestPath, requestPrivilege);
diff --git a/src/app/tests/TestCommandInteraction.cpp b/src/app/tests/TestCommandInteraction.cpp
index 2af13c597ce36e..67fcd195fe2c8b 100644
--- a/src/app/tests/TestCommandInteraction.cpp
+++ b/src/app/tests/TestCommandInteraction.cpp
@@ -542,12 +542,18 @@ void TestCommandInteraction::TestCommandHandlerWithSendSimpleStatusCode(nlTestSu
 
 void TestCommandInteraction::TestCommandHandlerWithProcessReceivedMsg(nlTestSuite * apSuite, void * apContext)
 {
-    CHIP_ERROR err = CHIP_NO_ERROR;
+    TestContext & ctx = *static_cast<TestContext *>(apContext);
+    CHIP_ERROR err    = CHIP_NO_ERROR;
     app::CommandHandler commandHandler(&mockCommandHandlerDelegate);
     System::PacketBufferHandle commandDatabuf = System::PacketBufferHandle::New(System::PacketBuffer::kMaxSize);
 
+    TestExchangeDelegate delegate;
+    commandHandler.mpExchangeCtx = ctx.NewExchangeToAlice(&delegate);
+
     GenerateInvokeRequest(apSuite, apContext, commandDatabuf, true /*aNeedCommandData*/, /* aIsTimedRequest = */ false);
     err = commandHandler.ProcessInvokeRequest(std::move(commandDatabuf), false);
+
+    ChipLogDetail(DataManagement, "###################################### %s", err.AsString());
     NL_TEST_ASSERT(apSuite, err == CHIP_NO_ERROR);
 }
 
@@ -570,6 +576,7 @@ void TestCommandInteraction::TestCommandHandlerWithProcessReceivedNotExistComman
 
 void TestCommandInteraction::TestCommandHandlerWithProcessReceivedEmptyDataMsg(nlTestSuite * apSuite, void * apContext)
 {
+    TestContext & ctx  = *static_cast<TestContext *>(apContext);
     bool allBooleans[] = { true, false };
     for (auto messageIsTimed : allBooleans)
     {
@@ -579,19 +586,13 @@ void TestCommandInteraction::TestCommandHandlerWithProcessReceivedEmptyDataMsg(n
             app::CommandHandler commandHandler(&mockCommandHandlerDelegate);
             System::PacketBufferHandle commandDatabuf = System::PacketBufferHandle::New(System::PacketBuffer::kMaxSize);
 
-            chip::isCommandDispatched = false;
+            TestExchangeDelegate delegate;
+            commandHandler.mpExchangeCtx = ctx.NewExchangeToAlice(&delegate);
 
+            chip::isCommandDispatched = false;
             GenerateInvokeRequest(apSuite, apContext, commandDatabuf, false /*aNeedCommandData*/, messageIsTimed);
-
             err = commandHandler.ProcessInvokeRequest(std::move(commandDatabuf), transactionIsTimed);
-            if (messageIsTimed == transactionIsTimed)
-            {
-                NL_TEST_ASSERT(apSuite, err == CHIP_NO_ERROR && chip::isCommandDispatched);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                NL_TEST_ASSERT(apSuite, err != CHIP_NO_ERROR && !chip::isCommandDispatched);
-            }
+            NL_TEST_ASSERT(apSuite, err == CHIP_NO_ERROR && chip::isCommandDispatched == (messageIsTimed == transactionIsTimed));
         }
     }
 }