diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index f5c15c9..b5810b4 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -728,10 +728,6 @@
 	int err;
 	int layer2_update;
 
-	/* Prevent a race with changing the rate control algorithm */
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	if (params->vlan) {
 		sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(params->vlan);
 
@@ -860,9 +856,6 @@
 	struct sta_info *sta;
 	int err;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_MESH_POINT)
@@ -913,9 +906,6 @@
 	struct mesh_path *mpath;
 	struct sta_info *sta;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_MESH_POINT)
@@ -1202,9 +1192,6 @@
 {
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION &&
@@ -1220,9 +1207,6 @@
 {
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION)
@@ -1282,9 +1266,6 @@
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION)
@@ -1323,9 +1304,6 @@
 {
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
@@ -1339,9 +1317,6 @@
 {
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 
-	if (!netif_running(dev))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	sdata = IEEE80211_DEV_TO_SUB_IF(dev);
 
 	if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION)
diff --git a/net/wireless/nl80211.c b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
index 6f38ee7..6bb73a3 100644
--- a/net/wireless/nl80211.c
+++ b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
@@ -1556,6 +1556,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	err = drv->ops->add_station(&drv->wiphy, dev, mac_addr, &params);
 
  out:
@@ -1808,6 +1813,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	err = drv->ops->change_mpath(&drv->wiphy, dev, dst, next_hop);
 
  out:
@@ -1846,6 +1856,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	err = drv->ops->add_mpath(&drv->wiphy, dev, dst, next_hop);
 
  out:
@@ -2380,6 +2395,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (drv->scan_req) {
 		err = -EBUSY;
 		goto out;
@@ -2641,6 +2661,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_MAC]) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto out;
@@ -2709,6 +2734,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_MAC] ||
 	    !info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_SSID]) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
@@ -2767,6 +2797,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_MAC]) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto out;
@@ -2821,6 +2856,11 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	if (!netif_running(dev)) {
+		err = -ENETDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_MAC]) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto out;