diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c
index 33239f197984..f55c75712b55 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl3945-base.c
@@ -6330,6 +6330,11 @@ static int __iwl3945_up(struct iwl3945_priv *priv)
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
+	if (!priv->ucode_data_backup.v_addr || !priv->ucode_data.v_addr) {
+		IWL_ERROR("ucode not available for device bringup\n");
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
 	/* If platform's RF_KILL switch is NOT set to KILL */
 	if (iwl3945_read32(priv, CSR_GP_CNTRL) &
 				CSR_GP_CNTRL_REG_FLAG_HW_RF_KILL_SW)
@@ -6342,11 +6347,6 @@ static int __iwl3945_up(struct iwl3945_priv *priv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!priv->ucode_data_backup.v_addr || !priv->ucode_data.v_addr) {
-		IWL_ERROR("ucode not available for device bringup\n");
-		return -EIO;
-	}
-
 	iwl3945_write32(priv, CSR_INT, 0xFFFFFFFF);
 
 	rc = iwl3945_hw_nic_init(priv);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
index bf3a60c037aa..f423241b9567 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl4965-base.c
@@ -6755,6 +6755,11 @@ static int __iwl4965_up(struct iwl4965_priv *priv)
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
+	if (!priv->ucode_data_backup.v_addr || !priv->ucode_data.v_addr) {
+		IWL_ERROR("ucode not available for device bringup\n");
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
 	/* If platform's RF_KILL switch is NOT set to KILL */
 	if (iwl4965_read32(priv, CSR_GP_CNTRL) &
 				CSR_GP_CNTRL_REG_FLAG_HW_RF_KILL_SW)
@@ -6767,11 +6772,6 @@ static int __iwl4965_up(struct iwl4965_priv *priv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!priv->ucode_data_backup.v_addr || !priv->ucode_data.v_addr) {
-		IWL_ERROR("ucode not available for device bringup\n");
-		return -EIO;
-	}
-
 	iwl4965_write32(priv, CSR_INT, 0xFFFFFFFF);
 
 	rc = iwl4965_hw_nic_init(priv);