diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.c
index 3a9fc90..244318a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.c
@@ -29,12 +29,15 @@
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/version.h>
+#include <net/mac80211.h>
 
 struct iwl_priv; /* FIXME: remove */
 #include "iwl-debug.h"
 #include "iwl-eeprom.h"
 #include "iwl-core.h"
 
+#include "iwl-4965.h" /* FIXME: remove */
+
 MODULE_DESCRIPTION("iwl core");
 MODULE_VERSION(IWLWIFI_VERSION);
 MODULE_AUTHOR(DRV_COPYRIGHT);
@@ -44,3 +47,27 @@
 u32 iwl_debug_level;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(iwl_debug_level);
 #endif
+
+/* This function both allocates and initializes hw and priv. */
+struct ieee80211_hw *iwl_alloc_all(struct iwl_cfg *cfg,
+		struct ieee80211_ops *hw_ops)
+{
+	struct iwl_priv *priv;
+
+	/* mac80211 allocates memory for this device instance, including
+	 *   space for this driver's private structure */
+	struct ieee80211_hw *hw =
+		ieee80211_alloc_hw(sizeof(struct iwl_priv), hw_ops);
+	if (hw == NULL) {
+		IWL_ERROR("Can not allocate network device\n");
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	priv = hw->priv;
+	priv->hw = hw;
+
+out:
+	return hw;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(iwl_alloc_all);
+
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.h b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.h
index fb4ce08..33bef1f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-core.h
@@ -103,4 +103,11 @@
 	const struct iwl_mod_params *mod_params;
 };
 
+/***************************
+ *   L i b                 *
+ ***************************/
+
+struct ieee80211_hw *iwl_alloc_all(struct iwl_cfg *cfg,
+		struct ieee80211_ops *hw_ops);
+
 #endif /* __iwl_core_h__ */
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
index 465918c..a8fa1bf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
@@ -8531,21 +8531,18 @@
 		iwl4965_hw_ops.hw_scan = NULL;
 	}
 
-	/* mac80211 allocates memory for this device instance, including
-	 *   space for this driver's private structure */
-	hw = ieee80211_alloc_hw(sizeof(struct iwl_priv), &iwl4965_hw_ops);
-	if (hw == NULL) {
-		IWL_ERROR("Can not allocate network device\n");
+	hw = iwl_alloc_all(cfg, &iwl4965_hw_ops);
+	if (!hw) {
 		err = -ENOMEM;
 		goto out;
 	}
+	priv = hw->priv;
+	/* At this point both hw and priv are allocated. */
+
 	SET_IEEE80211_DEV(hw, &pdev->dev);
 
 	IWL_DEBUG_INFO("*** LOAD DRIVER ***\n");
-	priv = hw->priv;
-	priv->hw = hw;
 	priv->cfg = cfg;
-
 	priv->pci_dev = pdev;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_IWLWIFI_DEBUG