diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c
index 2568395f02760e92da0d963449620f8422c30a21..2d4047f4be175385cdea31e950fda69fc38dc1d8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c
@@ -1166,6 +1166,8 @@ int mwifiex_remove_card(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter, struct semaphore *sem)
 
 	adapter->surprise_removed = true;
 
+	mwifiex_terminate_workqueue(adapter);
+
 	/* Stop data */
 	for (i = 0; i < adapter->priv_num; i++) {
 		priv = adapter->priv[i];
@@ -1208,8 +1210,6 @@ int mwifiex_remove_card(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter, struct semaphore *sem)
 	wiphy_unregister(adapter->wiphy);
 	wiphy_free(adapter->wiphy);
 
-	mwifiex_terminate_workqueue(adapter);
-
 	/* Unregister device */
 	dev_dbg(adapter->dev, "info: unregister device\n");
 	if (adapter->if_ops.unregister_dev)