diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c
index 0fe915acd21e..e6842dd83ce2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/main.c
@@ -1325,6 +1325,17 @@ void ath_cleanup(struct ath_softc *sc)
 	ieee80211_free_hw(sc->hw);
 }
 
+static void ath9k_uninit_hw(struct ath_softc *sc)
+{
+	struct ath_hw *ah = sc->sc_ah;
+
+	BUG_ON(!ah);
+
+	ath9k_exit_debug(ah);
+	ath9k_hw_detach(ah);
+	sc->sc_ah = NULL;
+}
+
 void ath_detach(struct ath_softc *sc)
 {
 	struct ieee80211_hw *hw = sc->hw;
@@ -1365,9 +1376,7 @@ void ath_detach(struct ath_softc *sc)
 	    ah->btcoex_hw.scheme == ATH_BTCOEX_CFG_3WIRE)
 		ath_gen_timer_free(ah, sc->btcoex.no_stomp_timer);
 
-	ath9k_exit_debug(ah);
-	ath9k_hw_detach(ah);
-	sc->sc_ah = NULL;
+	ath9k_uninit_hw(sc);
 }
 
 static int ath9k_reg_notifier(struct wiphy *wiphy,
@@ -1850,10 +1859,8 @@ static int ath_init_softc(u16 devid, struct ath_softc *sc, u16 subsysid,
 		if (ATH_TXQ_SETUP(sc, i))
 			ath_tx_cleanupq(sc, &sc->tx.txq[i]);
 
-	ath9k_exit_debug(ah);
 bad_free_hw:
-	ath9k_hw_detach(ah);
-	sc->sc_ah = NULL;
+	ath9k_uninit_hw(sc);
 	return r;
 }
 
@@ -1966,9 +1973,7 @@ int ath_init_device(u16 devid, struct ath_softc *sc, u16 subsysid,
 		if (ATH_TXQ_SETUP(sc, i))
 			ath_tx_cleanupq(sc, &sc->tx.txq[i]);
 
-	ath9k_exit_debug(ah);
-	ath9k_hw_detach(ah);
-	sc->sc_ah = NULL;
+	ath9k_uninit_hw(sc);
 
 	return error;
 }