diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/ath9k.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/ath9k.h
index 6e486a508edb34a90fbb20b4ac6c8a2ab7f94a30..998ae2c49ed27abb8cbe8a1fb8fe8b37adc0468c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/ath9k.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/ath9k.h
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ bool ath9k_all_wiphys_idle(struct ath_softc *sc);
 void ath9k_set_wiphy_idle(struct ath_wiphy *aphy, bool idle);
 
 void ath_mac80211_stop_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, u16 skb_queue);
-void ath_mac80211_start_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, u16 skb_queue);
+bool ath_mac80211_start_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, u16 skb_queue);
 
 void ath_start_rfkill_poll(struct ath_softc *sc);
 extern void ath9k_rfkill_poll_state(struct ieee80211_hw *hw);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/virtual.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/virtual.c
index 89423ca23d2c07375dc070b2588a17829de056c0..fd20241f57d8ef8239aa3cdc62bec57198e2ec46 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/virtual.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/virtual.c
@@ -695,16 +695,18 @@ void ath9k_set_wiphy_idle(struct ath_wiphy *aphy, bool idle)
 		  idle ? "idle" : "not-idle");
 }
 /* Only bother starting a queue on an active virtual wiphy */
-void ath_mac80211_start_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, u16 skb_queue)
+bool ath_mac80211_start_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, u16 skb_queue)
 {
 	struct ieee80211_hw *hw = sc->pri_wiphy->hw;
 	unsigned int i;
+	bool txq_started = false;
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&sc->wiphy_lock);
 
 	/* Start the primary wiphy */
 	if (sc->pri_wiphy->state == ATH_WIPHY_ACTIVE) {
 		ieee80211_wake_queue(hw, skb_queue);
+		txq_started = true;
 		goto unlock;
 	}
 
@@ -718,11 +720,13 @@ void ath_mac80211_start_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, u16 skb_queue)
 
 		hw = aphy->hw;
 		ieee80211_wake_queue(hw, skb_queue);
+		txq_started = true;
 		break;
 	}
 
 unlock:
 	spin_unlock_bh(&sc->wiphy_lock);
+	return txq_started;
 }
 
 /* Go ahead and propagate information to all virtual wiphys, it won't hurt */
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c
index 0644f1e91887bb19ceff5cb4b71ced0d9981fbf3..21aa5bdb2592e6216aeeeb0da5159133e7618153 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c
@@ -2077,8 +2077,8 @@ static void ath_wake_mac80211_queue(struct ath_softc *sc, struct ath_txq *txq)
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&txq->axq_lock);
 	if (txq->stopped && sc->tx.pending_frames[qnum] < ATH_MAX_QDEPTH) {
-		ath_mac80211_start_queue(sc, qnum);
-		txq->stopped = 0;
+		if (ath_mac80211_start_queue(sc, qnum))
+			txq->stopped = 0;
 	}
 	spin_unlock_bh(&txq->axq_lock);
 }