diff --git a/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h b/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h
index 5f165d7eb2db..b12ed52732c8 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h
+++ b/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 #include "ieee80211_i.h"
 #include "driver-trace.h"
 
+static inline void check_sdata_in_driver(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
+{
+	WARN_ON(!(sdata->flags & IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER));
+}
+
 static inline void drv_tx(struct ieee80211_local *local, struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	local->ops->tx(&local->hw, skb);
@@ -69,15 +74,23 @@ static inline int drv_resume(struct ieee80211_local *local)
 #endif
 
 static inline int drv_add_interface(struct ieee80211_local *local,
-				    struct ieee80211_vif *vif)
+				    struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 {
 	int ret;
 
 	might_sleep();
 
-	trace_drv_add_interface(local, vif_to_sdata(vif));
-	ret = local->ops->add_interface(&local->hw, vif);
+	if (WARN_ON(sdata->vif.type == NL80211_IFTYPE_AP_VLAN ||
+		    sdata->vif.type == NL80211_IFTYPE_MONITOR))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	trace_drv_add_interface(local, sdata);
+	ret = local->ops->add_interface(&local->hw, &sdata->vif);
 	trace_drv_return_int(local, ret);
+
+	if (ret == 0)
+		sdata->flags |= IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER;
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -89,6 +102,8 @@ static inline int drv_change_interface(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_change_interface(local, sdata, type, p2p);
 	ret = local->ops->change_interface(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, type, p2p);
 	trace_drv_return_int(local, ret);
@@ -96,12 +111,15 @@ static inline int drv_change_interface(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 }
 
 static inline void drv_remove_interface(struct ieee80211_local *local,
-					struct ieee80211_vif *vif)
+					struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
-	trace_drv_remove_interface(local, vif_to_sdata(vif));
-	local->ops->remove_interface(&local->hw, vif);
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
+	trace_drv_remove_interface(local, sdata);
+	local->ops->remove_interface(&local->hw, &sdata->vif);
+	sdata->flags &= ~IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER;
 	trace_drv_return_void(local);
 }
 
@@ -124,6 +142,8 @@ static inline void drv_bss_info_changed(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_bss_info_changed(local, sdata, info, changed);
 	if (local->ops->bss_info_changed)
 		local->ops->bss_info_changed(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, info, changed);
@@ -139,6 +159,8 @@ static inline int drv_tx_sync(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_tx_sync(local, sdata, bssid, type);
 	if (local->ops->tx_sync)
 		ret = local->ops->tx_sync(&local->hw, &sdata->vif,
@@ -154,6 +176,8 @@ static inline void drv_finish_tx_sync(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_finish_tx_sync(local, sdata, bssid, type);
 	if (local->ops->finish_tx_sync)
 		local->ops->finish_tx_sync(&local->hw, &sdata->vif,
@@ -211,6 +235,8 @@ static inline int drv_set_key(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_set_key(local, cmd, sdata, sta, key);
 	ret = local->ops->set_key(&local->hw, cmd, &sdata->vif, sta, key);
 	trace_drv_return_int(local, ret);
@@ -228,6 +254,8 @@ static inline void drv_update_tkip_key(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 	if (sta)
 		ista = &sta->sta;
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_update_tkip_key(local, sdata, conf, ista, iv32);
 	if (local->ops->update_tkip_key)
 		local->ops->update_tkip_key(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, conf,
@@ -243,6 +271,8 @@ static inline int drv_hw_scan(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_hw_scan(local, sdata);
 	ret = local->ops->hw_scan(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, req);
 	trace_drv_return_int(local, ret);
@@ -254,6 +284,8 @@ static inline void drv_cancel_hw_scan(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_cancel_hw_scan(local, sdata);
 	local->ops->cancel_hw_scan(&local->hw, &sdata->vif);
 	trace_drv_return_void(local);
@@ -269,6 +301,8 @@ drv_sched_scan_start(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_sched_scan_start(local, sdata);
 	ret = local->ops->sched_scan_start(&local->hw, &sdata->vif,
 					      req, ies);
@@ -281,6 +315,8 @@ static inline void drv_sched_scan_stop(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_sched_scan_stop(local, sdata);
 	local->ops->sched_scan_stop(&local->hw, &sdata->vif);
 	trace_drv_return_void(local);
@@ -377,6 +413,8 @@ static inline void drv_sta_notify(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 				  enum sta_notify_cmd cmd,
 				  struct ieee80211_sta *sta)
 {
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_sta_notify(local, sdata, cmd, sta);
 	if (local->ops->sta_notify)
 		local->ops->sta_notify(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, cmd, sta);
@@ -391,6 +429,8 @@ static inline int drv_sta_add(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_sta_add(local, sdata, sta);
 	if (local->ops->sta_add)
 		ret = local->ops->sta_add(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, sta);
@@ -406,6 +446,8 @@ static inline void drv_sta_remove(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_sta_remove(local, sdata, sta);
 	if (local->ops->sta_remove)
 		local->ops->sta_remove(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, sta);
@@ -421,6 +463,8 @@ static inline int drv_conf_tx(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_conf_tx(local, sdata, queue, params);
 	if (local->ops->conf_tx)
 		ret = local->ops->conf_tx(&local->hw, &sdata->vif,
@@ -436,6 +480,8 @@ static inline u64 drv_get_tsf(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_get_tsf(local, sdata);
 	if (local->ops->get_tsf)
 		ret = local->ops->get_tsf(&local->hw, &sdata->vif);
@@ -449,6 +495,8 @@ static inline void drv_set_tsf(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_set_tsf(local, sdata, tsf);
 	if (local->ops->set_tsf)
 		local->ops->set_tsf(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, tsf);
@@ -460,6 +508,8 @@ static inline void drv_reset_tsf(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 {
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_reset_tsf(local, sdata);
 	if (local->ops->reset_tsf)
 		local->ops->reset_tsf(&local->hw, &sdata->vif);
@@ -489,6 +539,8 @@ static inline int drv_ampdu_action(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_ampdu_action(local, sdata, action, sta, tid, ssn, buf_size);
 
 	if (local->ops->ampdu_action)
@@ -644,6 +696,8 @@ static inline int drv_set_bitrate_mask(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_set_bitrate_mask(local, sdata, mask);
 	if (local->ops->set_bitrate_mask)
 		ret = local->ops->set_bitrate_mask(&local->hw,
@@ -657,6 +711,8 @@ static inline void drv_set_rekey_data(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 				      struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 				      struct cfg80211_gtk_rekey_data *data)
 {
+	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
+
 	trace_drv_set_rekey_data(local, sdata, data);
 	if (local->ops->set_rekey_data)
 		local->ops->set_rekey_data(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, data);
diff --git a/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h b/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h
index e2447096c94a..386330c89baf 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h
+++ b/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h
@@ -543,6 +543,7 @@ struct ieee80211_if_mesh {
  *	associated stations and deliver multicast frames both
  *	back to wireless media and to the local net stack.
  * @IEEE80211_SDATA_DISCONNECT_RESUME: Disconnect after resume.
+ * @IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER: indicates interface was added to driver
  */
 enum ieee80211_sub_if_data_flags {
 	IEEE80211_SDATA_ALLMULTI		= BIT(0),
@@ -550,6 +551,7 @@ enum ieee80211_sub_if_data_flags {
 	IEEE80211_SDATA_OPERATING_GMODE		= BIT(2),
 	IEEE80211_SDATA_DONT_BRIDGE_PACKETS	= BIT(3),
 	IEEE80211_SDATA_DISCONNECT_RESUME	= BIT(4),
+	IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER		= BIT(5),
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/net/mac80211/iface.c b/net/mac80211/iface.c
index 33a974663f79..4ee624c543cb 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/iface.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/iface.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ static int ieee80211_do_open(struct net_device *dev, bool coming_up)
 		break;
 	default:
 		if (coming_up) {
-			res = drv_add_interface(local, &sdata->vif);
+			res = drv_add_interface(local, sdata);
 			if (res)
 				goto err_stop;
 		}
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ static int ieee80211_do_open(struct net_device *dev, bool coming_up)
 
 	return 0;
  err_del_interface:
-	drv_remove_interface(local, &sdata->vif);
+	drv_remove_interface(local, sdata);
  err_stop:
 	if (!local->open_count)
 		drv_stop(local);
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ static void ieee80211_do_stop(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		ieee80211_free_keys(sdata);
 
 		if (going_down)
-			drv_remove_interface(local, &sdata->vif);
+			drv_remove_interface(local, sdata);
 	}
 
 	sdata->bss = NULL;
diff --git a/net/mac80211/pm.c b/net/mac80211/pm.c
index 9ee7164b207c..596efaf50e09 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/pm.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/pm.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ int __ieee80211_suspend(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, struct cfg80211_wowlan *wowlan)
 		ieee80211_bss_info_change_notify(sdata,
 			BSS_CHANGED_BEACON_ENABLED);
 
-		drv_remove_interface(local, &sdata->vif);
+		drv_remove_interface(local, sdata);
 	}
 
 	/* stop hardware - this must stop RX */
diff --git a/net/mac80211/util.c b/net/mac80211/util.c
index 83c482177ecb..98ca5479324b 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/util.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/util.c
@@ -1006,7 +1006,7 @@ int ieee80211_reconfig(struct ieee80211_local *local)
 		if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_AP_VLAN &&
 		    sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_MONITOR &&
 		    ieee80211_sdata_running(sdata))
-			res = drv_add_interface(local, &sdata->vif);
+			res = drv_add_interface(local, sdata);
 	}
 
 	/* add STAs back */