diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h
index 0a1634238e67314b963fecc916abbd304986e734..b25670f9d859a5a3c33def4875c7d6e8799cfd8c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h
@@ -325,11 +325,11 @@ static inline struct ath9k_htc_tx_ctl *HTC_SKB_CB(struct sk_buff *skb)
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ATH9K_HTC_DEBUGFS
-
-#define TX_STAT_INC(c) (hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.tx_stats.c++)
-#define TX_STAT_ADD(c, a) (hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.tx_stats.c += a)
-#define RX_STAT_INC(c) (hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.skbrx_stats.c++)
-#define RX_STAT_ADD(c, a) (hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.skbrx_stats.c += a)
+#define __STAT_SAFE(expr) (hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv ? (expr) : 0)
+#define TX_STAT_INC(c) __STAT_SAFE(hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.tx_stats.c++)
+#define TX_STAT_ADD(c, a) __STAT_SAFE(hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.tx_stats.c += a)
+#define RX_STAT_INC(c) __STAT_SAFE(hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.skbrx_stats.c++)
+#define RX_STAT_ADD(c, a) __STAT_SAFE(hif_dev->htc_handle->drv_priv->debug.skbrx_stats.c += a)
 #define CAB_STAT_INC   priv->debug.tx_stats.cab_queued++
 
 #define TX_QSTAT_INC(q) (priv->debug.tx_stats.queue_stats[q]++)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c
index ff61ae34ecdf04322dafb49bc4045a6b1c1ff6b2..07ac88fb1c577c4602d99a7f81cfa59bd5f5d1fd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c
@@ -944,7 +944,6 @@ int ath9k_htc_probe_device(struct htc_target *htc_handle, struct device *dev,
 	priv->hw = hw;
 	priv->htc = htc_handle;
 	priv->dev = dev;
-	htc_handle->drv_priv = priv;
 	SET_IEEE80211_DEV(hw, priv->dev);
 
 	ret = ath9k_htc_wait_for_target(priv);
@@ -965,6 +964,8 @@ int ath9k_htc_probe_device(struct htc_target *htc_handle, struct device *dev,
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_init;
 
+	htc_handle->drv_priv = priv;
+
 	return 0;
 
 err_init: