diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/attach.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/attach.c
index 51d569883cdd..49d82d79d3fc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/attach.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/attach.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ struct ath5k_hw *ath5k_hw_attach(struct ath5k_softc *sc, u8 mac_version)
 {
 	struct ath5k_hw *ah;
 	struct pci_dev *pdev = sc->pdev;
-	u8 mac[ETH_ALEN];
+	u8 mac[ETH_ALEN] = {};
 	int ret;
 	u32 srev;
 
@@ -317,15 +317,9 @@ struct ath5k_hw *ath5k_hw_attach(struct ath5k_softc *sc, u8 mac_version)
 		goto err_free;
 	}
 
-	/* Set MAC address */
-	ret = ath5k_eeprom_read_mac(ah, mac);
-	if (ret) {
-		ATH5K_ERR(sc, "unable to read address from EEPROM: 0x%04x\n",
-			sc->pdev->device);
-		goto err_free;
-	}
-
+	/* MAC address is cleared until add_interface */
 	ath5k_hw_set_lladdr(ah, mac);
+
 	/* Set BSSID to bcast address: ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff for now */
 	memset(ah->ah_bssid, 0xff, ETH_ALEN);
 	ath5k_hw_set_associd(ah, ah->ah_bssid, 0);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/base.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/base.c
index 7fdb59c813ca..4bcea5a9d70b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/base.c
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ ath5k_attach(struct pci_dev *pdev, struct ieee80211_hw *hw)
 {
 	struct ath5k_softc *sc = hw->priv;
 	struct ath5k_hw *ah = sc->ah;
-	u8 mac[ETH_ALEN];
+	u8 mac[ETH_ALEN] = {};
 	int ret;
 
 	ATH5K_DBG(sc, ATH5K_DEBUG_ANY, "devid 0x%x\n", pdev->device);
@@ -777,7 +777,13 @@ ath5k_attach(struct pci_dev *pdev, struct ieee80211_hw *hw)
 	tasklet_init(&sc->restq, ath5k_tasklet_reset, (unsigned long)sc);
 	setup_timer(&sc->calib_tim, ath5k_calibrate, (unsigned long)sc);
 
-	ath5k_hw_get_lladdr(ah, mac);
+	ret = ath5k_eeprom_read_mac(ah, mac);
+	if (ret) {
+		ATH5K_ERR(sc, "unable to read address from EEPROM: 0x%04x\n",
+			sc->pdev->device);
+		goto err_queues;
+	}
+
 	SET_IEEE80211_PERM_ADDR(hw, mac);
 	/* All MAC address bits matter for ACKs */
 	memset(sc->bssidmask, 0xff, ETH_ALEN);
@@ -2765,6 +2771,7 @@ static int ath5k_add_interface(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	/* Set to a reasonable value. Note that this will
 	 * be set to mac80211's value at ath5k_config(). */
 	sc->bintval = 1000;
+	ath5k_hw_set_lladdr(sc->ah, conf->mac_addr);
 
 	ret = 0;
 end:
@@ -2777,11 +2784,13 @@ ath5k_remove_interface(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 			struct ieee80211_if_init_conf *conf)
 {
 	struct ath5k_softc *sc = hw->priv;
+	u8 mac[ETH_ALEN] = {};
 
 	mutex_lock(&sc->lock);
 	if (sc->vif != conf->vif)
 		goto end;
 
+	ath5k_hw_set_lladdr(sc->ah, mac);
 	sc->vif = NULL;
 end:
 	mutex_unlock(&sc->lock);