--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/ahb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/ahb.c
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ static int ath_ahb_probe(struct platform
 	sc->mem = mem;
 	sc->irq = irq;
 
+	/* Will be cleared in ath9k_start() */
+	sc->sc_flags |= SC_OP_INVALID;
+
 	ret = request_irq(irq, ath_isr, IRQF_SHARED, "ath9k", sc);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "request_irq failed\n");
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
@@ -534,8 +534,6 @@ static int ath9k_init_softc(u16 devid, s
 	int ret = 0, i;
 	int csz = 0;
 
-	sc->sc_flags |= SC_OP_INVALID;
-
 	ah = kzalloc(sizeof(struct ath_hw), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!ah)
 		return -ENOMEM;
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/pci.c
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ static int ath_pci_probe(struct pci_dev 
 	sc->dev = &pdev->dev;
 	sc->mem = mem;
 
+	/* Will be cleared in ath9k_start() */
+	sc->sc_flags |= SC_OP_INVALID;
+
 	ret = request_irq(pdev->irq, ath_isr, IRQF_SHARED, "ath9k", sc);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "request_irq failed\n");