diff --git a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_debug.h b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_debug.h
index 14dfe38aa3cd..f1678eb48e2a 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_debug.h
+++ b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_debug.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ enum {
 	HAL_DEBUG_DFS		= 0x00200000,	/* DFS debugging */
 	HAL_DEBUG_HANG		= 0x00400000,	/* BB/MAC hang debugging */
 
+	HAL_DEBUG_UNMASKABLE	= 0xf0000000,	/* always printed */
 	HAL_DEBUG_ANY		= 0xffffffff
 };
 #endif /* _ATH_AH_DEBUG_H_ */
diff --git a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_internal.h b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_internal.h
index 1dd8dcdce52f..3cfc7e625d66 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_internal.h
+++ b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah_internal.h
@@ -517,7 +517,8 @@ extern	void ath_hal_free(void *);
 extern	int ath_hal_debug;
 #define	HALDEBUG(_ah, __m, ...) \
 	do {							\
-		if (ath_hal_debug & (__m)) {			\
+		if ((__m) == HAL_DEBUG_UNMASKABLE ||		\
+		    (ath_hal_debug & (__m))) {			\
 			DO_HALDEBUG((_ah), (__m), __VA_ARGS__);	\
 		}						\
 	} while(0);