diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/main.c
index 588e10ee282c9bbb4a0ae025ae143f3b2bee1922..2192e4cf62f459496d7e40df9d680b0094f842d7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/main.c
@@ -2219,7 +2219,7 @@ static void wl1271_bss_info_changed_sta(struct wl1271 *wl,
 	bool do_join = false, set_assoc = false;
 	bool is_ibss = (wl->bss_type == BSS_TYPE_IBSS);
 	int ret;
-	struct ieee80211_sta *sta = ieee80211_find_sta(vif, bss_conf->bssid);
+	struct ieee80211_sta *sta;
 
 	if (is_ibss) {
 		ret = wl1271_bss_beacon_info_changed(wl, vif, bss_conf,
@@ -2378,36 +2378,42 @@ static void wl1271_bss_info_changed_sta(struct wl1271 *wl,
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto out;
 
-	/*
-	 * Takes care of: New association with HT enable,
-	 *                HT information change in beacon.
-	 */
-	if (sta &&
-	    (changed & BSS_CHANGED_HT) &&
-	    (bss_conf->channel_type != NL80211_CHAN_NO_HT)) {
-		ret = wl1271_acx_set_ht_capabilities(wl, &sta->ht_cap, true);
-		if (ret < 0) {
-			wl1271_warning("Set ht cap true failed %d", ret);
-			goto out;
-		}
+	rcu_read_lock();
+	sta = ieee80211_find_sta(vif, bss_conf->bssid);
+	if (sta)  {
+		/* handle new association with HT and HT information change */
+		if ((changed & BSS_CHANGED_HT) &&
+		    (bss_conf->channel_type != NL80211_CHAN_NO_HT)) {
+			ret = wl1271_acx_set_ht_capabilities(wl, &sta->ht_cap,
+							     true);
+			if (ret < 0) {
+				wl1271_warning("Set ht cap true failed %d",
+					       ret);
+				rcu_read_unlock();
+				goto out;
+			}
 			ret = wl1271_acx_set_ht_information(wl,
-				bss_conf->ht_operation_mode);
-		if (ret < 0) {
-			wl1271_warning("Set ht information failed %d", ret);
-			goto out;
+						bss_conf->ht_operation_mode);
+			if (ret < 0) {
+				wl1271_warning("Set ht information failed %d",
+					       ret);
+				rcu_read_unlock();
+				goto out;
+			}
 		}
-	}
-	/*
-	 * Takes care of: New association without HT,
-	 *                Disassociation.
-	 */
-	else if (sta && (changed & BSS_CHANGED_ASSOC)) {
-		ret = wl1271_acx_set_ht_capabilities(wl, &sta->ht_cap, false);
-		if (ret < 0) {
-			wl1271_warning("Set ht cap false failed %d", ret);
-			goto out;
+		/* handle new association without HT and disassociation */
+		else if (changed & BSS_CHANGED_ASSOC) {
+			ret = wl1271_acx_set_ht_capabilities(wl, &sta->ht_cap,
+							     false);
+			if (ret < 0) {
+				wl1271_warning("Set ht cap false failed %d",
+					       ret);
+				rcu_read_unlock();
+				goto out;
+			}
 		}
 	}
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 
 	if (changed & BSS_CHANGED_ARP_FILTER) {
 		__be32 addr = bss_conf->arp_addr_list[0];