diff --git a/tests/drivers/at/main.c b/tests/drivers/at/main.c
index e424ac8b78cd1..4e3ccacc45e67 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/at/main.c
+++ b/tests/drivers/at/main.c
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 static at_dev_t at_dev;
 static char buf[256];
 static char resp[1024];
+static bool initialized;
+static bool is_power_on;
 
 static int init(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ static int init(int argc, char **argv)
         return 1;
     }
 
+    initialized = true;
+
     return res;
 }
 
@@ -74,6 +78,18 @@ static int send(int argc, char **argv)
         return 1;
     }
 
+    if (initialized == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not initialized.\n");
+        puts("Execute init function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (is_power_on == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not power on.\n");
+        puts("Execute power_on function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     ssize_t len;
     if ((len = at_send_cmd_get_resp(&at_dev, argv[1], resp, sizeof(resp), 10 * US_PER_SEC)) < 0) {
         puts("Error");
@@ -92,6 +108,18 @@ static int send_ok(int argc, char **argv)
         return 1;
     }
 
+    if (initialized == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not initialized.\n");
+        puts("Execute init function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (is_power_on == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not power on.\n");
+        puts("Execute power_on function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     if (at_send_cmd_wait_ok(&at_dev, argv[1], 10 * US_PER_SEC) < 0) {
         puts("Error");
         return 1;
@@ -109,6 +137,18 @@ static int send_lines(int argc, char **argv)
         return 1;
     }
 
+    if (initialized == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not initialized.\n");
+        puts("Execute init function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (is_power_on == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not power on.\n");
+        puts("Execute power_on function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     ssize_t len;
     if ((len = at_send_cmd_get_lines(&at_dev, argv[1], resp, sizeof(resp), true, 10 * US_PER_SEC)) < 0) {
         puts("Error");
@@ -129,6 +169,18 @@ static int send_recv_bytes(int argc, char **argv)
         return 1;
     }
 
+    if (initialized == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not initialized.\n");
+        puts("Execute init function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (is_power_on == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not power on.\n");
+        puts("Execute power_on function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     sprintf(buffer, "%s%s", argv[1], CONFIG_AT_SEND_EOL);
     at_send_bytes(&at_dev, buffer, strlen(buffer));
 
@@ -151,6 +203,18 @@ static int send_recv_bytes_until_string(int argc, char **argv)
         return 1;
     }
 
+    if (initialized == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not initialized.\n");
+        puts("Execute init function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (is_power_on == false) {
+        puts("Error: AT device not power on.\n");
+        puts("Execute power_on function first.\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     sprintf(buffer, "%s%s", argv[1], CONFIG_AT_SEND_EOL);
     at_send_bytes(&at_dev, buffer, strlen(buffer));
     memset(buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer));
@@ -183,6 +247,7 @@ static int power_on(int argc, char **argv)
     (void)argv;
 
     at_dev_poweron(&at_dev);
+    is_power_on = true;
 
     puts("Powered on");
 
@@ -195,6 +260,7 @@ static int power_off(int argc, char **argv)
     (void)argv;
 
     at_dev_poweroff(&at_dev);
+    is_power_on = false;
 
     puts("Powered off");
 
@@ -370,6 +436,9 @@ int main(void)
 {
     puts("AT command test app");
 
+    initialized = false;
+    is_power_on = false;
+
     /* run the shell */
     char line_buf[SHELL_DEFAULT_BUFSIZE];
     shell_run(shell_commands, line_buf, SHELL_DEFAULT_BUFSIZE);