diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c
index 730ed22e08a0..1e0343081be9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ ath10k_usb_alloc_urb_from_pipe(struct ath10k_usb_pipe *pipe)
 	struct ath10k_urb_context *urb_context = NULL;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	/* bail if this pipe is not initialized */
+	if (!pipe->ar_usb)
+		return NULL;
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&pipe->ar_usb->cs_lock, flags);
 	if (!list_empty(&pipe->urb_list_head)) {
 		urb_context = list_first_entry(&pipe->urb_list_head,
@@ -55,6 +59,10 @@ static void ath10k_usb_free_urb_to_pipe(struct ath10k_usb_pipe *pipe,
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	/* bail if this pipe is not initialized */
+	if (!pipe->ar_usb)
+		return;
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&pipe->ar_usb->cs_lock, flags);
 
 	pipe->urb_cnt++;