diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwmc3200wifi/cfg80211.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwmc3200wifi/cfg80211.c
index 96f714e6e12b..bc89b1ef0cad 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwmc3200wifi/cfg80211.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwmc3200wifi/cfg80211.c
@@ -167,20 +167,15 @@ int iwm_cfg80211_inform_bss(struct iwm_priv *iwm)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int iwm_cfg80211_change_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex,
+static int iwm_cfg80211_change_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy,
+				     struct net_device *ndev,
 				     enum nl80211_iftype type, u32 *flags,
 				     struct vif_params *params)
 {
-	struct net_device *ndev;
 	struct wireless_dev *wdev;
 	struct iwm_priv *iwm;
 	u32 old_mode;
 
-	/* we're under RTNL */
-	ndev = __dev_get_by_index(&init_net, ifindex);
-	if (!ndev)
-		return -ENODEV;
-
 	wdev = ndev->ieee80211_ptr;
 	iwm = ndev_to_iwm(ndev);
 	old_mode = iwm->conf.mode;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rndis_wlan.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rndis_wlan.c
index 3bec3dbd3450..e8b0793b030a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rndis_wlan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rndis_wlan.c
@@ -420,7 +420,8 @@ struct rndis_wlan_private {
 /*
  * cfg80211 ops
  */
-static int rndis_change_virtual_intf(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex,
+static int rndis_change_virtual_intf(struct wiphy *wiphy,
+					struct net_device *dev,
 					enum nl80211_iftype type, u32 *flags,
 					struct vif_params *params);
 
@@ -1222,20 +1223,14 @@ static void set_multicast_list(struct usbnet *usbdev)
 /*
  * cfg80211 ops
  */
-static int rndis_change_virtual_intf(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex,
+static int rndis_change_virtual_intf(struct wiphy *wiphy,
+					struct net_device *dev,
 					enum nl80211_iftype type, u32 *flags,
 					struct vif_params *params)
 {
-	struct net_device *dev;
-	struct usbnet *usbdev;
+	struct usbnet *usbdev = netdev_priv(dev);
 	int mode;
 
-	/* we're under RTNL */
-	dev = __dev_get_by_index(&init_net, ifindex);
-	if (!dev)
-		return -ENODEV;
-	usbdev = netdev_priv(dev);
-
 	switch (type) {
 	case NL80211_IFTYPE_ADHOC:
 		mode = NDIS_80211_INFRA_ADHOC;
diff --git a/include/net/cfg80211.h b/include/net/cfg80211.h
index 1a21895b732b..90f9bfa3bfc2 100644
--- a/include/net/cfg80211.h
+++ b/include/net/cfg80211.h
@@ -866,7 +866,8 @@ struct cfg80211_ops {
 				    enum nl80211_iftype type, u32 *flags,
 				    struct vif_params *params);
 	int	(*del_virtual_intf)(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex);
-	int	(*change_virtual_intf)(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex,
+	int	(*change_virtual_intf)(struct wiphy *wiphy,
+				       struct net_device *dev,
 				       enum nl80211_iftype type, u32 *flags,
 				       struct vif_params *params);
 
diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index 3f47276caeb8..eb93eb6a9cc7 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -74,19 +74,14 @@ static int ieee80211_del_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int ieee80211_change_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy, int ifindex,
+static int ieee80211_change_iface(struct wiphy *wiphy,
+				  struct net_device *dev,
 				  enum nl80211_iftype type, u32 *flags,
 				  struct vif_params *params)
 {
-	struct net_device *dev;
 	struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* we're under RTNL */
-	dev = __dev_get_by_index(&init_net, ifindex);
-	if (!dev)
-		return -ENODEV;
-
 	if (!nl80211_type_check(type))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
diff --git a/net/wireless/nl80211.c b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
index 43bdb1372cae..f91e5d472c60 100644
--- a/net/wireless/nl80211.c
+++ b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ static int nl80211_set_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 {
 	struct cfg80211_registered_device *drv;
 	struct vif_params params;
-	int err, ifindex;
+	int err;
 	enum nl80211_iftype otype, ntype;
 	struct net_device *dev;
 	u32 _flags, *flags = NULL;
@@ -781,9 +781,7 @@ static int nl80211_set_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	if (err)
 		goto unlock_rtnl;
 
-	ifindex = dev->ifindex;
 	otype = ntype = dev->ieee80211_ptr->iftype;
-	dev_put(dev);
 
 	if (info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_IFTYPE]) {
 		ntype = nla_get_u32(info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_IFTYPE]);
@@ -826,20 +824,20 @@ static int nl80211_set_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	}
 
 	if (change)
-		err = drv->ops->change_virtual_intf(&drv->wiphy, ifindex,
+		err = drv->ops->change_virtual_intf(&drv->wiphy, dev,
 						    ntype, flags, &params);
 	else
 		err = 0;
 
-	dev = __dev_get_by_index(&init_net, ifindex);
-	WARN_ON(!dev || (!err && dev->ieee80211_ptr->iftype != ntype));
+	WARN_ON(!err && dev->ieee80211_ptr->iftype != ntype);
 
-	if (dev && !err && (ntype != otype)) {
+	if (!err && (ntype != otype)) {
 		if (otype == NL80211_IFTYPE_ADHOC)
 			cfg80211_clear_ibss(dev, false);
 	}
 
  unlock:
+	dev_put(dev);
 	cfg80211_put_dev(drv);
  unlock_rtnl:
 	rtnl_unlock();
diff --git a/net/wireless/wext-compat.c b/net/wireless/wext-compat.c
index d030c5315672..9e56f3569e3e 100644
--- a/net/wireless/wext-compat.c
+++ b/net/wireless/wext-compat.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ int cfg80211_wext_siwmode(struct net_device *dev, struct iw_request_info *info,
 
 	memset(&vifparams, 0, sizeof(vifparams));
 
-	ret = rdev->ops->change_virtual_intf(wdev->wiphy, dev->ifindex, type,
+	ret = rdev->ops->change_virtual_intf(wdev->wiphy, dev, type,
 					     NULL, &vifparams);
 	WARN_ON(!ret && wdev->iftype != type);