diff --git a/include/net/mac80211.h b/include/net/mac80211.h
index 6cc5b25edf9d..fbe1c29e3349 100644
--- a/include/net/mac80211.h
+++ b/include/net/mac80211.h
@@ -6234,10 +6234,36 @@ void ieee80211_unreserve_tid(struct ieee80211_sta *sta, u8 tid);
  * but for the duration of the frame handling.
  * However, also note that while in the wake_tx_queue() method,
  * rcu_read_lock() is already held.
+ *
+ * softirqs must also be disabled when this function is called.
+ * In process context, use ieee80211_tx_dequeue_ni() instead.
  */
 struct sk_buff *ieee80211_tx_dequeue(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 				     struct ieee80211_txq *txq);
 
+/**
+ * ieee80211_tx_dequeue_ni - dequeue a packet from a software tx queue
+ * (in process context)
+ *
+ * Like ieee80211_tx_dequeue() but can be called in process context
+ * (internally disables bottom halves).
+ *
+ * @hw: pointer as obtained from ieee80211_alloc_hw()
+ * @txq: pointer obtained from station or virtual interface, or from
+ *	ieee80211_next_txq()
+ */
+static inline struct sk_buff *ieee80211_tx_dequeue_ni(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
+						      struct ieee80211_txq *txq)
+{
+	struct sk_buff *skb;
+
+	local_bh_disable();
+	skb = ieee80211_tx_dequeue(hw, txq);
+	local_bh_enable();
+
+	return skb;
+}
+
 /**
  * ieee80211_next_txq - get next tx queue to pull packets from
  *
diff --git a/net/mac80211/tx.c b/net/mac80211/tx.c
index f13eb2f61ccf..fb8870d9eba3 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/tx.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/tx.c
@@ -3546,6 +3546,8 @@ struct sk_buff *ieee80211_tx_dequeue(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	ieee80211_tx_result r;
 	struct ieee80211_vif *vif = txq->vif;
 
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(softirq_count() == 0);
+
 begin:
 	spin_lock_bh(&fq->lock);