diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c
index 465da4f67ce73d0fcfb9b1b9c7440d1b131dd2af..5751c89857f0d14a6ec9276c6e664bf6e1b97aa9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c
@@ -2915,6 +2915,10 @@ static void iwl_set_rate(struct iwl_priv *priv)
 	int i;
 
 	hw = iwl_get_hw_mode(priv, priv->phymode);
+	if (!hw) {
+		IWL_ERROR("Failed to set rate: unable to get hw mode\n");
+		return;
+	}
 
 	priv->active_rate = 0;
 	priv->active_rate_basic = 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
index 9918780f5e866fe8286fb85c970b815c981b4968..0b22e01735765df43f174faeee720368b0c8405c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
@@ -3003,6 +3003,10 @@ static void iwl_set_rate(struct iwl_priv *priv)
 	int i;
 
 	hw = iwl_get_hw_mode(priv, priv->phymode);
+	if (!hw) {
+		IWL_ERROR("Failed to set rate: unable to get hw mode\n");
+		return;
+	}
 
 	priv->active_rate = 0;
 	priv->active_rate_basic = 0;