diff --git a/include/net/cfg80211.h b/include/net/cfg80211.h
index 0eee48bdc937..32b458c9a7ee 100644
--- a/include/net/cfg80211.h
+++ b/include/net/cfg80211.h
@@ -5149,7 +5149,10 @@ struct mgmt_frame_regs {
  *
  * @probe_peer: probe a connected peer (AP: STA MAC required; STA: no MAC),
  *	must use the @cookie as provided which is later passed to
- *	cfg80211_probe_status().
+ *	cfg80211_probe_status(). Called without the wiphy mutex, so the
+ *	interface type may have changed/be changing and the MAC may be
+ *	%NULL even in AP mode (if runtime type changes are supported),
+ *	drivers must check for that.
  *
  * @set_noack_map: Set the NoAck Map for the TIDs.
  *
diff --git a/net/wireless/nl80211.c b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
index 7cb3bb9438d7..b4ff8c811dc1 100644
--- a/net/wireless/nl80211.c
+++ b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
@@ -20835,7 +20835,8 @@ static const struct genl_small_ops nl80211_small_ops[] = {
 		.validate = GENL_DONT_VALIDATE_STRICT | GENL_DONT_VALIDATE_DUMP,
 		.doit = nl80211_probe_peer,
 		.flags = GENL_UNS_ADMIN_PERM,
-		.internal_flags = IFLAGS(NL80211_FLAG_NEED_NETDEV_UP),
+		.internal_flags = IFLAGS(NL80211_FLAG_NEED_NETDEV_UP |
+					 NL80211_FLAG_NO_WIPHY_MTX),
 	},
 	{
 		.cmd = NL80211_CMD_REGISTER_BEACONS,