diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/pci.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/pci.c
index 6ebfa5d02e2e..c1d576ff77fa 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath11k/pci.c
@@ -936,6 +936,8 @@ unsupported_wcn6855_soc:
 	return 0;
 
 err_free_irq:
+	/* __free_irq() expects the caller to have cleared the affinity hint */
+	ath11k_pci_set_irq_affinity_hint(ab_pci, NULL);
 	ath11k_pcic_free_irq(ab);
 
 err_ce_free: