diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index 5608f6c68413d2169dfc44d3d081a2c9235c938b..7b5131bd6fa17827af6574bb624cf072e5f7b35e 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ static int ieee80211_change_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 	int ret;
 
+	if (netif_running(dev))
+		return -EBUSY;
+
 	if (!nl80211_type_check(type))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -81,9 +84,6 @@ static int ieee80211_change_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	if (netif_running(sdata->dev))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	if (ieee80211_vif_is_mesh(&sdata->vif) && params->mesh_id_len)
 		ieee80211_sdata_set_mesh_id(sdata,
 					    params->mesh_id_len,