diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2500usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2500usb.c
index c6f6eb6e17a1ab847e94785080be5dbf85910c30..cd5af656932dda7c0a49f88d7d3b244180e56af0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2500usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2500usb.c
@@ -633,6 +633,16 @@ static void rt2500usb_reset_tuner(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 	rt2x00dev->link.vgc_level = value;
 }
 
+/*
+ * NOTE: This function is directly ported from legacy driver, but
+ * despite it being declared it was never called. Although link tuning
+ * sounds like a good idea, and usually works well for the other drivers,
+ * it does _not_ work with rt2500usb. Enabling this function will result
+ * in TX capabilities only until association kicks in. Immediately
+ * after the successful association all TX frames will be kept in the
+ * hardware queue and never transmitted.
+ */
+#if 0
 static void rt2500usb_link_tuner(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 {
 	int rssi = rt2x00_get_link_rssi(&rt2x00dev->link);
@@ -752,6 +762,9 @@ static void rt2500usb_link_tuner(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 		rt2x00dev->link.vgc_level = r17;
 	}
 }
+#else
+#define rt2500usb_link_tuner	NULL
+#endif
 
 /*
  * Initialization functions.
@@ -1737,6 +1750,7 @@ static int rt2500usb_probe_hw(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_ATIM_QUEUE, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_BEACON_GUARD, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_SCHEDULED, &rt2x00dev->flags);
+	__set_bit(CONFIG_DISABLE_LINK_TUNING, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set the rssi offset.