diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c
index fa2c230..605d328 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c
@@ -1332,6 +1332,7 @@
 
 	ah->ah_sc = sc;
 	ah->hw_version.devid = devid;
+	sc->sc_ah = ah;
 
 	r = ath9k_hw_attach(ah, sc);
 	if (r) {
@@ -1340,7 +1341,6 @@
 			"initialization status: %d\n", r);
 		goto bad;
 	}
-	sc->sc_ah = ah;
 
 	/* Get the hardware key cache size. */
 	sc->keymax = ah->caps.keycache_size;