diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwl8k.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwl8k.c
index aeac3cc4dbe45d6df570a636ffafbfcc3ce104cf..a09b94509f0448bcd13dbfa5fc9c6bfd168574c7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwl8k.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwl8k.c
@@ -1891,9 +1891,9 @@ mwl8k_txq_xmit(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, int index, struct sk_buff *skb)
 
 	txpriority = index;
 
-	if (ieee80211_is_data_qos(wh->frame_control) &&
-	    skb->protocol != cpu_to_be16(ETH_P_PAE) &&
-	    sta->ht_cap.ht_supported && priv->ap_fw) {
+	if (priv->ap_fw && sta && sta->ht_cap.ht_supported
+			&& skb->protocol != cpu_to_be16(ETH_P_PAE)
+			&& ieee80211_is_data_qos(wh->frame_control)) {
 		tid = qos & 0xf;
 		mwl8k_tx_count_packet(sta, tid);
 		spin_lock(&priv->stream_lock);