diff --git a/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/cfg80211.c b/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/cfg80211.c
index 0970127344e6..57a2b058e3de 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/cfg80211.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/cfg80211.c
@@ -329,9 +329,9 @@ int prism2_get_station(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 
 int prism2_scan(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct cfg80211_scan_request *request)
 {
-	struct net_device *dev = request->wdev->netdev;
+	struct net_device *dev;
 	struct prism2_wiphy_private *priv = wiphy_priv(wiphy);
-	wlandevice_t *wlandev = dev->ml_priv;
+	wlandevice_t *wlandev;
 	struct p80211msg_dot11req_scan msg1;
 	struct p80211msg_dot11req_scan_results msg2;
 	struct cfg80211_bss *bss;
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ int prism2_scan(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct cfg80211_scan_request *request)
 	if (!request)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	dev = request->wdev->netdev;
+	wlandev = dev->ml_priv;
+
 	if (priv->scan_request && priv->scan_request != request)
 		return -EBUSY;