diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/if_usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/if_usb.c
index 7a5a1a85dcf7..a4b9ede70705 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/if_usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/if_usb.c
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@ MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(usb, if_usb_table);
 
 static void if_usb_receive(struct urb *urb);
 static void if_usb_receive_fwload(struct urb *urb);
-static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct if_usb_card *cardp);
+static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct lbtf_private *priv);
 static int if_usb_host_to_card(struct lbtf_private *priv, uint8_t type,
 			       uint8_t *payload, uint16_t nb);
 static int usb_tx_block(struct if_usb_card *cardp, uint8_t *payload,
 			uint16_t nb, u8 data);
 static void if_usb_free(struct if_usb_card *cardp);
 static int if_usb_submit_rx_urb(struct if_usb_card *cardp);
-static int if_usb_reset_device(struct if_usb_card *cardp);
+static int if_usb_reset_device(struct lbtf_private *priv);
 
 /**
  *  if_usb_wrike_bulk_callback -  call back to handle URB status
@@ -222,13 +222,11 @@ static int if_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 		goto dealloc;
 	}
 
+	cardp->boot2_version = udev->descriptor.bcdDevice;
 	priv = lbtf_add_card(cardp, &udev->dev, &if_usb_ops);
 	if (!priv)
 		goto dealloc;
 
-	cardp->priv = priv;
-	cardp->boot2_version = udev->descriptor.bcdDevice;
-
 	usb_get_dev(udev);
 	usb_set_intfdata(intf, cardp);
 
@@ -253,7 +251,7 @@ static void if_usb_disconnect(struct usb_interface *intf)
 
 	lbtf_deb_enter(LBTF_DEB_MAIN);
 
-	if_usb_reset_device(cardp);
+	if_usb_reset_device(priv);
 
 	if (priv)
 		lbtf_remove_card(priv);
@@ -336,8 +334,9 @@ static int if_usb_send_fw_pkt(struct if_usb_card *cardp)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int if_usb_reset_device(struct if_usb_card *cardp)
+static int if_usb_reset_device(struct lbtf_private *priv)
 {
+	struct if_usb_card *cardp = priv->card;
 	struct cmd_ds_802_11_reset *cmd = cardp->ep_out_buf + 4;
 	int ret;
 
@@ -808,14 +807,17 @@ static int check_fwfile_format(const u8 *data, u32 totlen)
 }
 
 
-static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct if_usb_card *cardp)
+static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct lbtf_private *priv)
 {
+	struct if_usb_card *cardp = priv->card;
 	int i = 0;
 	static int reset_count = 10;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	lbtf_deb_enter(LBTF_DEB_USB);
 
+	cardp->priv = priv;
+
 	kernel_param_lock(THIS_MODULE);
 	ret = request_firmware(&cardp->fw, lbtf_fw_name, &cardp->udev->dev);
 	if (ret < 0) {
@@ -851,7 +853,7 @@ static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct if_usb_card *cardp)
 
 	if (cardp->bootcmdresp <= 0) {
 		if (--reset_count >= 0) {
-			if_usb_reset_device(cardp);
+			if_usb_reset_device(priv);
 			goto restart;
 		}
 		return -1;
@@ -880,7 +882,7 @@ static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct if_usb_card *cardp)
 	if (!cardp->fwdnldover) {
 		pr_info("failed to load fw, resetting device!\n");
 		if (--reset_count >= 0) {
-			if_usb_reset_device(cardp);
+			if_usb_reset_device(priv);
 			goto restart;
 		}
 
@@ -889,8 +891,6 @@ static int if_usb_prog_firmware(struct if_usb_card *cardp)
 		goto release_fw;
 	}
 
-	cardp->priv->fw_ready = 1;
-
  release_fw:
 	release_firmware(cardp->fw);
 	cardp->fw = NULL;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/libertas_tf.h b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/libertas_tf.h
index 11d5ff68bc5e..3ed1fbe28798 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/libertas_tf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/libertas_tf.h
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ struct lbtf_ops {
 	/** Hardware access */
 	int (*hw_host_to_card)(struct lbtf_private *priv, u8 type,
 			       u8 *payload, u16 nb);
-	int (*hw_prog_firmware)(struct if_usb_card *cardp);
-	int (*hw_reset_device)(struct if_usb_card *cardp);
+	int (*hw_prog_firmware)(struct lbtf_private *priv);
+	int (*hw_reset_device)(struct lbtf_private *priv);
 };
 
 /** Private structure for the MV device */
@@ -254,7 +254,6 @@ struct lbtf_private {
 	struct ieee80211_supported_band band;
 	struct lbtf_offset_value offsetvalue;
 
-	u8 fw_ready;
 	u8 surpriseremoved;
 	struct sk_buff_head bc_ps_buf;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/main.c
index 8ed3cd158cf5..b4bd3047eb4e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/libertas_tf/main.c
@@ -118,11 +118,6 @@ static void lbtf_cmd_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	priv->cmd_timed_out = 0;
 	spin_unlock_irq(&priv->driver_lock);
 
-	if (!priv->fw_ready) {
-		lbtf_deb_leave_args(LBTF_DEB_CMD, "fw not ready");
-		return;
-	}
-
 	/* Execute the next command */
 	if (!priv->cur_cmd)
 		lbtf_execute_next_command(priv);
@@ -294,36 +289,29 @@ static void lbtf_tx_work(struct work_struct *work)
 static int lbtf_op_start(struct ieee80211_hw *hw)
 {
 	struct lbtf_private *priv = hw->priv;
-	void *card = priv->card;
 	int ret = -1;
 
 	lbtf_deb_enter(LBTF_DEB_MACOPS);
 
-	if (!priv->fw_ready)
-		/* Upload firmware */
-		if (priv->ops->hw_prog_firmware(card))
-			goto err_prog_firmware;
-
 	/* poke the firmware */
 	priv->capability = WLAN_CAPABILITY_SHORT_PREAMBLE;
 	priv->radioon = RADIO_ON;
 	priv->mac_control = CMD_ACT_MAC_RX_ON | CMD_ACT_MAC_TX_ON;
 	ret = lbtf_setup_firmware(priv);
 	if (ret)
-		goto err_prog_firmware;
+		goto err_setup_firmware;
 
 	if ((priv->fwrelease < LBTF_FW_VER_MIN) ||
 	    (priv->fwrelease > LBTF_FW_VER_MAX)) {
 		ret = -1;
-		goto err_prog_firmware;
+		goto err_setup_firmware;
 	}
 
 	lbtf_deb_leave(LBTF_DEB_MACOPS);
 	return 0;
 
-err_prog_firmware:
-	priv->ops->hw_reset_device(card);
-	lbtf_deb_leave_args(LBTF_DEB_MACOPS, "error programming fw; ret=%d", ret);
+err_setup_firmware:
+	lbtf_deb_leave_args(LBTF_DEB_MACOPS, "fw setup error; ret=%d", ret);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -555,6 +543,11 @@ int lbtf_rx(struct lbtf_private *priv, struct sk_buff *skb)
 
 	lbtf_deb_enter(LBTF_DEB_RX);
 
+	if (priv->radioon != RADIO_ON) {
+		lbtf_deb_rx("rx before we turned on the radio");
+		goto done;
+	}
+
 	prxpd = (struct rxpd *) skb->data;
 
 	memset(&stats, 0, sizeof(stats));
@@ -593,13 +586,14 @@ int lbtf_rx(struct lbtf_private *priv, struct sk_buff *skb)
 
 	ieee80211_rx_irqsafe(priv->hw, skb);
 
+done:
 	lbtf_deb_leave(LBTF_DEB_RX);
 	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(lbtf_rx);
 
 /**
- * lbtf_add_card: Add and initialize the card, no fw upload yet.
+ * lbtf_add_card: Add and initialize the card.
  *
  *  @card    A pointer to card
  *
@@ -648,6 +642,19 @@ struct lbtf_private *lbtf_add_card(void *card, struct device *dmdev,
 
 	INIT_WORK(&priv->cmd_work, lbtf_cmd_work);
 	INIT_WORK(&priv->tx_work, lbtf_tx_work);
+
+	if (priv->ops->hw_prog_firmware(priv)) {
+		lbtf_deb_usbd(&udev->dev, "Error programming the firmware\n");
+		priv->ops->hw_reset_device(priv);
+		goto err_init_adapter;
+	}
+
+	/* The firmware seems to start with the radio enabled. Turn it
+	 * off before an actual mac80211 start callback is invoked.
+	 */
+	priv->radioon = RADIO_OFF;
+	lbtf_set_radio_control(priv);
+
 	if (ieee80211_register_hw(hw))
 		goto err_init_adapter;
 
