diff --git a/drivers/net/b44.c b/drivers/net/b44.c
index 1e620e287ae0cc9fbe9894a105fedbfdc9fbb6be..efeffdf9e5fab30d2bd97a07e5e866fec60ed595 100644
--- a/drivers/net/b44.c
+++ b/drivers/net/b44.c
@@ -2170,8 +2170,6 @@ static int __devinit b44_init_one(struct ssb_device *sdev,
 	dev->irq = sdev->irq;
 	SET_ETHTOOL_OPS(dev, &b44_ethtool_ops);
 
-	netif_carrier_off(dev);
-
 	err = ssb_bus_powerup(sdev->bus, 0);
 	if (err) {
 		dev_err(sdev->dev,
@@ -2213,6 +2211,8 @@ static int __devinit b44_init_one(struct ssb_device *sdev,
 		goto err_out_powerdown;
 	}
 
+	netif_carrier_off(dev);
+
 	ssb_set_drvdata(sdev, dev);
 
 	/* Chip reset provides power to the b44 MAC & PCI cores, which