diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/cfg80211.c b/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/cfg80211.c
index dc4bfe7be378..8d8378bafd9b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/cfg80211.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/cfg80211.c
@@ -1737,23 +1737,15 @@ int wilc_cfg80211_init(struct wilc **wilc, struct device *dev, int io_type,
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&wl->rxq_head.list);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&wl->vif_list);
 
-	wl->hif_workqueue = create_singlethread_workqueue("WILC_wq");
-	if (!wl->hif_workqueue) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto free_cfg;
-	}
 	vif = wilc_netdev_ifc_init(wl, "wlan%d", WILC_STATION_MODE,
 				   NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION, false);
 	if (IS_ERR(vif)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(vif);
-		goto free_hq;
+		goto free_cfg;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 
-free_hq:
-	destroy_workqueue(wl->hif_workqueue);
-
 free_cfg:
 	wilc_wlan_cfg_deinit(wl);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/netdev.c b/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/netdev.c
index dec550cb548f..03e3485d7e7f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/microchip/wilc1000/netdev.c
@@ -962,8 +962,15 @@ struct wilc_vif *wilc_netdev_ifc_init(struct wilc *wl, const char *name,
 		ret = register_netdev(ndev);
 
 	if (ret) {
-		free_netdev(ndev);
-		return ERR_PTR(-EFAULT);
+		ret = -EFAULT;
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	wl->hif_workqueue = alloc_ordered_workqueue("%s-wq", WQ_MEM_RECLAIM,
+						    ndev->name);
+	if (!wl->hif_workqueue) {
+		ret = -ENOMEM;
+		goto error;
 	}
 
 	ndev->needs_free_netdev = true;
@@ -977,6 +984,10 @@ struct wilc_vif *wilc_netdev_ifc_init(struct wilc *wl, const char *name,
 	synchronize_srcu(&wl->srcu);
 
 	return vif;
+
+  error:
+	free_netdev(ndev);
+	return ERR_PTR(ret);
 }
 
 MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");