diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Kconfig b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Kconfig
index f3dc124c60c775577a322f6e0a6b7adc471fa88d..3c2cbc9d6295df0e16afce4a4d541bde93f9164a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Kconfig
@@ -92,13 +92,17 @@ config ATH9K_MAC_DEBUG
 	  This option enables collection of statistics for Rx/Tx status
 	  data and some other MAC related statistics
 
-config ATH9K_RATE_CONTROL
+config ATH9K_LEGACY_RATE_CONTROL
 	bool "Atheros ath9k rate control"
 	depends on ATH9K
-	default y
+	default n
 	---help---
 	  Say Y, if you want to use the ath9k specific rate control
-	  module instead of minstrel_ht.
+	  module instead of minstrel_ht. Be warned that there are various
+	  issues with the ath9k RC and minstrel is a more robust algorithm.
+	  Note that even if this option is selected, "ath9k_rate_control"
+	  has to be passed to mac80211 using the module parameter,
+	  ieee80211_default_rc_algo.
 
 config ATH9K_HTC
        tristate "Atheros HTC based wireless cards support"
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Makefile b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Makefile
index 2ad8f9474ba1460c5733949d2232b5ade5d5fc42..75ee9e7704ce627eb52939c25d5ea0b6d1eb4f3d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/Makefile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ ath9k-y +=	beacon.o \
 		antenna.o
 
 ath9k-$(CONFIG_ATH9K_BTCOEX_SUPPORT) += mci.o
-ath9k-$(CONFIG_ATH9K_RATE_CONTROL) += rc.o
+ath9k-$(CONFIG_ATH9K_LEGACY_RATE_CONTROL) += rc.o
 ath9k-$(CONFIG_ATH9K_PCI) += pci.o
 ath9k-$(CONFIG_ATH9K_AHB) += ahb.o
 ath9k-$(CONFIG_ATH9K_DEBUGFS) += debug.o
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
index 47d3269b69d5a41750e4f71c29a8c6b5d2d7128a..2ba494567777f35ea359a1beb883ecb0be471a74 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
@@ -829,10 +829,6 @@ void ath9k_set_hw_capab(struct ath_softc *sc, struct ieee80211_hw *hw)
 	sc->ant_rx = hw->wiphy->available_antennas_rx;
 	sc->ant_tx = hw->wiphy->available_antennas_tx;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_ATH9K_RATE_CONTROL
-	hw->rate_control_algorithm = "ath9k_rate_control";
-#endif
-
 	if (sc->sc_ah->caps.hw_caps & ATH9K_HW_CAP_2GHZ)
 		hw->wiphy->bands[IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ] =
 			&sc->sbands[IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ];
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.h
index 267dbfcfaa96b8cb8b5311bd484d8e9908f838bc..b9a87383cb43214b17a845e6b7ae3ff2ecdf35d7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/rc.h
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ static inline void ath_debug_stat_retries(struct ath_rate_priv *rc, int rix,
 }
 #endif
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_ATH9K_RATE_CONTROL
+#ifdef CONFIG_ATH9K_LEGACY_RATE_CONTROL
 int ath_rate_control_register(void);
 void ath_rate_control_unregister(void);
 #else