diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00pci.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00pci.c
index 0feb4d0e4668..801be436cf1d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00pci.c
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ int rt2x00pci_regbusy_read(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev,
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
+	if (!test_bit(DEVICE_STATE_PRESENT, &rt2x00dev->flags))
+		return 0;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < REGISTER_BUSY_COUNT; i++) {
 		rt2x00pci_register_read(rt2x00dev, offset, reg);
 		if (!rt2x00_get_field32(*reg, field))