diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ti/wl1251/event.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ti/wl1251/event.c
index 192cebd..db01053 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ti/wl1251/event.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ti/wl1251/event.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ static int wl1251_event_process(struct wl1251 *wl, struct event_mailbox *mbox)
            return ret;
    }

-   if (vector & SYNCHRONIZATION_TIMEOUT_EVENT_ID) {
+   if (wl->vif && vector & SYNCHRONIZATION_TIMEOUT_EVENT_ID) {
        wl1251_debug(DEBUG_EVENT, "SYNCHRONIZATION_TIMEOUT_EVENT");

        /* indicate to the stack, that beacons have been lost */