diff --git a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
index 1cad7ca92..c3944757a 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * Copyright 2002-2005, Instant802 Networks, Inc.
  * Copyright 2006-2007	Jiri Benc <jbenc@suse.cz>
  * Copyright 2013-2014  Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
+ * Copyright (C) 2018-2020 Intel Corporation
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
@@ -904,6 +905,11 @@ static void __sta_info_destroy_part2(struct sta_info *sta)
 	might_sleep();
 	lockdep_assert_held(&local->sta_mtx);
 
+	while (sta->sta_state == IEEE80211_STA_AUTHORIZED) {
+		ret = sta_info_move_state(sta, IEEE80211_STA_ASSOC);
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(ret);
+	}
+
 	/* now keys can no longer be reached */
 	ieee80211_free_sta_keys(local, sta);