diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c
index 22a793121bd3..bbc813dee983 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c
@@ -1234,6 +1234,7 @@ static bool carl9170_tx_ps_drop(struct ar9170 *ar, struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	struct ieee80211_sta *sta;
 	struct carl9170_sta_info *sta_info;
+	struct ieee80211_tx_info *tx_info;
 
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	sta = __carl9170_get_tx_sta(ar, skb);
@@ -1241,12 +1242,13 @@ static bool carl9170_tx_ps_drop(struct ar9170 *ar, struct sk_buff *skb)
 		goto out_rcu;
 
 	sta_info = (void *) sta->drv_priv;
-	if (unlikely(sta_info->sleeping)) {
-		struct ieee80211_tx_info *tx_info;
+	tx_info = IEEE80211_SKB_CB(skb);
 
+	if (unlikely(sta_info->sleeping) &&
+	    !(tx_info->flags & (IEEE80211_TX_CTL_POLL_RESPONSE |
+				IEEE80211_TX_CTL_CLEAR_PS_FILT))) {
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 
-		tx_info = IEEE80211_SKB_CB(skb);
 		if (tx_info->flags & IEEE80211_TX_CTL_AMPDU)
 			atomic_dec(&ar->tx_ampdu_upload);