diff --git a/net/wireless/scan.c b/net/wireless/scan.c
index a183f2b75874..249107212c09 100644
--- a/net/wireless/scan.c
+++ b/net/wireless/scan.c
@@ -143,18 +143,12 @@ static inline void bss_ref_get(struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev,
 	lockdep_assert_held(&rdev->bss_lock);
 
 	bss->refcount++;
-	if (bss->pub.hidden_beacon_bss) {
-		bss = container_of(bss->pub.hidden_beacon_bss,
-				   struct cfg80211_internal_bss,
-				   pub);
-		bss->refcount++;
-	}
-	if (bss->pub.transmitted_bss) {
-		bss = container_of(bss->pub.transmitted_bss,
-				   struct cfg80211_internal_bss,
-				   pub);
-		bss->refcount++;
-	}
+
+	if (bss->pub.hidden_beacon_bss)
+		bss_from_pub(bss->pub.hidden_beacon_bss)->refcount++;
+
+	if (bss->pub.transmitted_bss)
+		bss_from_pub(bss->pub.transmitted_bss)->refcount++;
 }
 
 static inline void bss_ref_put(struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev,
@@ -1741,6 +1735,8 @@ cfg80211_bss_update(struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev,
 		new->refcount = 1;
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&new->hidden_list);
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&new->pub.nontrans_list);
+		/* we'll set this later if it was non-NULL */
+		new->pub.transmitted_bss = NULL;
 
 		if (rcu_access_pointer(tmp->pub.proberesp_ies)) {
 			hidden = rb_find_bss(rdev, tmp, BSS_CMP_HIDE_ZLEN);
@@ -2023,10 +2019,15 @@ cfg80211_inform_single_bss_data(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 		spin_lock_bh(&rdev->bss_lock);
 		if (cfg80211_add_nontrans_list(non_tx_data->tx_bss,
 					       &res->pub)) {
-			if (__cfg80211_unlink_bss(rdev, res))
+			if (__cfg80211_unlink_bss(rdev, res)) {
 				rdev->bss_generation++;
+				res = NULL;
+			}
 		}
 		spin_unlock_bh(&rdev->bss_lock);
+
+		if (!res)
+			return NULL;
 	}
 
 	trace_cfg80211_return_bss(&res->pub);