diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c
index 8a571a615313..cb2a99d110d5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/core.c
@@ -958,6 +958,9 @@ static void ath12k_core_hw_group_stop(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 		ab = ag->ab[i];
 		if (!ab)
 			continue;
+
+		clear_bit(ATH12K_FLAG_REGISTERED, &ab->dev_flags);
+
 		ath12k_core_device_cleanup(ab);
 	}
 
@@ -1093,6 +1096,8 @@ static int ath12k_core_hw_group_start(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 
 		mutex_lock(&ab->core_lock);
 
+		set_bit(ATH12K_FLAG_REGISTERED, &ab->dev_flags);
+
 		ret = ath12k_core_pdev_create(ab);
 		if (ret) {
 			ath12k_err(ab, "failed to create pdev core %d\n", ret);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c
index bf15104fa542..7af12733a1ff 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/mac.c
@@ -11780,7 +11780,6 @@ void ath12k_mac_mlo_teardown(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 
 int ath12k_mac_register(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 {
-	struct ath12k_base *ab = ag->ab[0];
 	struct ath12k_hw *ah;
 	int i;
 	int ret;
@@ -11793,8 +11792,6 @@ int ath12k_mac_register(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 			goto err;
 	}
 
-	set_bit(ATH12K_FLAG_REGISTERED, &ab->dev_flags);
-
 	return 0;
 
 err:
@@ -11811,12 +11808,9 @@ int ath12k_mac_register(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 
 void ath12k_mac_unregister(struct ath12k_hw_group *ag)
 {
-	struct ath12k_base *ab = ag->ab[0];
 	struct ath12k_hw *ah;
 	int i;
 
-	clear_bit(ATH12K_FLAG_REGISTERED, &ab->dev_flags);
-
 	for (i = ag->num_hw - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
 		ah = ath12k_ag_to_ah(ag, i);
 		if (!ah)