diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/core.c
index e66cf4399b61..84dd9786622f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/core.c
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ int ath6kl_core_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
 
 	set_bit(FIRST_BOOT, &ar->flag);
 
+	ath6kl_debug_init(ar);
+
 	ret = ath6kl_init_hw_start(ar);
 	if (ret) {
 		ath6kl_err("Failed to start hardware: %d\n", ret);
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ int ath6kl_core_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_rxbuf_cleanup;
 
-	ret = ath6kl_debug_init(ar);
+	ret = ath6kl_debug_init_fs(ar);
 	if (ret) {
 		wiphy_unregister(ar->wiphy);
 		goto err_rxbuf_cleanup;
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ int ath6kl_core_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
 		ath6kl_err("Failed to instantiate a network device\n");
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		wiphy_unregister(ar->wiphy);
-		goto err_debug_init;
+		goto err_rxbuf_cleanup;
 	}
 
 	ath6kl_dbg(ATH6KL_DBG_TRC, "%s: name=%s dev=0x%p, ar=0x%p\n",
@@ -167,9 +169,8 @@ int ath6kl_core_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
 
 	return ret;
 
-err_debug_init:
-	ath6kl_debug_cleanup(ar);
 err_rxbuf_cleanup:
+	ath6kl_debug_cleanup(ar);
 	ath6kl_htc_flush_rx_buf(ar->htc_target);
 	ath6kl_cleanup_amsdu_rxbufs(ar);
 	ath6kl_wmi_shutdown(ar->wmi);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.c
index 28b516ff3d59..645f923f79b5 100755
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.c
@@ -1722,7 +1722,7 @@ static const struct file_operations fops_power_params = {
 	.llseek = default_llseek,
 };
 
-int ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
+void ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
 {
 	skb_queue_head_init(&ar->debug.fwlog_queue);
 	init_completion(&ar->debug.fwlog_completion);
@@ -1732,7 +1732,15 @@ int ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
 	 * value from the firmware.
 	 */
 	ar->debug.fwlog_mask = 0;
+}
 
+/*
+ * Initialisation needs to happen in two stages as fwlog events can come
+ * before cfg80211 is initialised, and debugfs depends on cfg80211
+ * initialisation.
+ */
+int ath6kl_debug_init_fs(struct ath6kl *ar)
+{
 	ar->debugfs_phy = debugfs_create_dir("ath6kl",
 					     ar->wiphy->debugfsdir);
 	if (!ar->debugfs_phy)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.h
index c5d5e6c8259e..1803a0baae82 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.h
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ int ath6kl_debug_roam_tbl_event(struct ath6kl *ar, const void *buf,
 				size_t len);
 void ath6kl_debug_set_keepalive(struct ath6kl *ar, u8 keepalive);
 void ath6kl_debug_set_disconnect_timeout(struct ath6kl *ar, u8 timeout);
-int ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar);
+void ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar);
+int ath6kl_debug_init_fs(struct ath6kl *ar);
 void ath6kl_debug_cleanup(struct ath6kl *ar);
 
 #else
@@ -128,7 +129,11 @@ static inline void ath6kl_debug_set_disconnect_timeout(struct ath6kl *ar,
 {
 }
 
-static inline int ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
+static inline void ath6kl_debug_init(struct ath6kl *ar)
+{
+}
+
+static inline int ath6kl_debug_init_fs(struct ath6kl *ar)
 {
 	return 0;
 }