diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h
index c765ff4a505c54ea265b423c83d3dc1b752ddb3d..b771e20075a55e4aa36cab69a1a6547d0a845539 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc.h
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ struct htc_beacon_config {
 #define OP_ASSOCIATED     BIT(8)
 #define OP_ENABLE_BEACON  BIT(9)
 #define OP_LED_DEINIT     BIT(10)
+#define OP_UNPLUGGED      BIT(11)
 
 struct ath9k_htc_priv {
 	struct device *dev;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c
index a86189629d92bd41f310803270ff4ecb2f6066e9..701f2ef5a440724f21a43b85e49600b302941030 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/htc_drv_init.c
@@ -744,6 +744,9 @@ int ath9k_htc_probe_device(struct htc_target *htc_handle, struct device *dev,
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_init;
 
+	/* The device may have been unplugged earlier. */
+	priv->op_flags &= ~OP_UNPLUGGED;
+
 	ret = ath9k_init_device(priv, devid);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_init;
@@ -760,6 +763,11 @@ int ath9k_htc_probe_device(struct htc_target *htc_handle, struct device *dev,
 void ath9k_htc_disconnect_device(struct htc_target *htc_handle, bool hotunplug)
 {
 	if (htc_handle->drv_priv) {
+
+		/* Check if the device has been yanked out. */
+		if (hotunplug)
+			htc_handle->drv_priv->op_flags |= OP_UNPLUGGED;
+
 		ath9k_deinit_device(htc_handle->drv_priv);
 		ath9k_deinit_wmi(htc_handle->drv_priv);
 		ieee80211_free_hw(htc_handle->drv_priv->hw);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c
index dc6c6fc2e095bcdf8d01a3eaaf55b5957ecb5e97..c688545326592af48b85274007cfa82814ae9503 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c
@@ -276,6 +276,9 @@ int ath9k_wmi_cmd(struct wmi *wmi, enum wmi_cmd_id cmd_id,
 	int time_left, ret = 0;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	if (wmi->drv_priv->op_flags & OP_UNPLUGGED)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (!wmi)
 		return -EINVAL;