diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index 3b58af59f7e4..932cf20785bc 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -1179,8 +1179,6 @@ ieee80211_set_unsol_bcast_probe_resp(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	link_conf->unsol_bcast_probe_resp_interval = params->interval;
 
 	old = sdata_dereference(link->u.ap.unsol_bcast_probe_resp, sdata);
-	if (old)
-		kfree_rcu(old, rcu_head);
 
 	if (params->tmpl && params->tmpl_len) {
 		new = kzalloc(sizeof(*new) + params->tmpl_len, GFP_KERNEL);
@@ -1193,6 +1191,9 @@ ieee80211_set_unsol_bcast_probe_resp(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		RCU_INIT_POINTER(link->u.ap.unsol_bcast_probe_resp, NULL);
 	}
 
+	if (old)
+		kfree_rcu(old, rcu_head);
+
 	*changed |= BSS_CHANGED_UNSOL_BCAST_PROBE_RESP;
 	return 0;
 }