diff --git a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah.c b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah.c
index fb170e5da746..f208d4858757 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ah.c
@@ -888,6 +888,8 @@ ath_hal_ini_bank_write(struct ath_hal *ah, const HAL_INI_ARRAY *ia,
 		OS_REG_WRITE(ah, HAL_INI_VAL(ia, r, 0), data[r]);
 
 		/* Analog shift register delay seems needed for Merlin - PR kern/154220 */
+		/* XXX verify whether any analog radio bank writes will hit up this */
+		/* XXX since this is a merlin work-around; and merlin doesn't use radio banks */
 		if (HAL_INI_VAL(ia, r, 0) >= 0x7800 && HAL_INI_VAL(ia, r, 0) < 0x78a0)
 			OS_DELAY(100);
 		DMA_YIELD(regWr);