diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.c
index e6307b86363a..b37eb8d38811 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.c
@@ -2008,6 +2008,14 @@ void ath9k_get_et_stats(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	WARN_ON(i != ATH9K_SSTATS_LEN);
 }
 
+void ath9k_deinit_debug(struct ath_softc *sc)
+{
+	if (config_enabled(CONFIG_ATH9K_DEBUGFS) && sc->rfs_chan_spec_scan) {
+		relay_close(sc->rfs_chan_spec_scan);
+		sc->rfs_chan_spec_scan = NULL;
+	}
+}
+
 int ath9k_init_debug(struct ath_hw *ah)
 {
 	struct ath_common *common = ath9k_hw_common(ah);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.h
index 794a7ec83a24..9d49aab8b989 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/debug.h
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ struct ath9k_debug {
 };
 
 int ath9k_init_debug(struct ath_hw *ah);
+void ath9k_deinit_debug(struct ath_softc *sc);
 
 void ath_debug_stat_interrupt(struct ath_softc *sc, enum ath9k_int status);
 void ath_debug_stat_tx(struct ath_softc *sc, struct ath_buf *bf,
@@ -339,6 +340,10 @@ static inline int ath9k_init_debug(struct ath_hw *ah)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static inline void ath9k_deinit_debug(struct ath_softc *sc)
+{
+}
+
 static inline void ath_debug_stat_interrupt(struct ath_softc *sc,
 					    enum ath9k_int status)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
index 0237b2868961..aba415103f94 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/init.c
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ int ath9k_init_device(u16 devid, struct ath_softc *sc,
 	if (!ath_is_world_regd(reg)) {
 		error = regulatory_hint(hw->wiphy, reg->alpha2);
 		if (error)
-			goto unregister;
+			goto debug_cleanup;
 	}
 
 	ath_init_leds(sc);
@@ -914,6 +914,8 @@ int ath9k_init_device(u16 devid, struct ath_softc *sc,
 
 	return 0;
 
+debug_cleanup:
+	ath9k_deinit_debug(sc);
 unregister:
 	ieee80211_unregister_hw(hw);
 rx_cleanup:
@@ -942,11 +944,6 @@ static void ath9k_deinit_softc(struct ath_softc *sc)
 		sc->dfs_detector->exit(sc->dfs_detector);
 
 	ath9k_eeprom_release(sc);
-
-	if (config_enabled(CONFIG_ATH9K_DEBUGFS) && sc->rfs_chan_spec_scan) {
-		relay_close(sc->rfs_chan_spec_scan);
-		sc->rfs_chan_spec_scan = NULL;
-	}
 }
 
 void ath9k_deinit_device(struct ath_softc *sc)
@@ -960,6 +957,7 @@ void ath9k_deinit_device(struct ath_softc *sc)
 
 	ath9k_ps_restore(sc);
 
+	ath9k_deinit_debug(sc);
 	ieee80211_unregister_hw(hw);
 	ath_rx_cleanup(sc);
 	ath9k_deinit_softc(sc);