diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/main.c
index 8968c2c51a1b..b1e281442ba3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/main.c
@@ -394,10 +394,11 @@ static void wil_fw_error_worker(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct wil6210_priv *wil = container_of(work, struct wil6210_priv,
 						fw_error_worker);
 	struct wireless_dev *wdev = wil->wdev;
+	struct net_device *ndev = wil_to_ndev(wil);
 
 	wil_dbg_misc(wil, "fw error worker\n");
 
-	if (!netif_running(wil_to_ndev(wil))) {
+	if (!(ndev->flags & IFF_UP)) {
 		wil_info(wil, "No recovery - interface is down\n");
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/pm.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/pm.c
index 820ed17ae2d4..8f5d1b447aaa 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/pm.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/wil6210/pm.c
@@ -21,10 +21,11 @@ int wil_can_suspend(struct wil6210_priv *wil, bool is_runtime)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 	struct wireless_dev *wdev = wil->wdev;
+	struct net_device *ndev = wil_to_ndev(wil);
 
 	wil_dbg_pm(wil, "can_suspend: %s\n", is_runtime ? "runtime" : "system");
 
-	if (!netif_running(wil_to_ndev(wil))) {
+	if (!(ndev->flags & IFF_UP)) {
 		/* can always sleep when down */
 		wil_dbg_pm(wil, "Interface is down\n");
 		goto out;