diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.c
index 8448281dd0691f53cfa41fb260ff7e60f83e64e0..cc5703b853bcfe5a9ccfdb8083e43c8b3d8fa51f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.c
@@ -1270,7 +1270,9 @@ static void ath_rc_init(struct ath_softc *sc,
 
 	ath_rc_priv->max_valid_rate = k;
 	ath_rc_sort_validrates(rate_table, ath_rc_priv);
-	ath_rc_priv->rate_max_phy = ath_rc_priv->valid_rate_index[k-4];
+	ath_rc_priv->rate_max_phy = (k > 4) ?
+					ath_rc_priv->valid_rate_index[k-4] :
+					ath_rc_priv->valid_rate_index[k-1];
 	ath_rc_priv->rate_table = rate_table;
 
 	ath_dbg(common, ATH_DBG_CONFIG,