diff --git a/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.c b/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.c
index 21f4333bbfb0..f39ef44d4174 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.c
+++ b/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.c
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ static void	bwi_mac_opmode_init(struct bwi_mac *);
 static void	bwi_mac_hostflags_init(struct bwi_mac *);
 static void	bwi_mac_bss_param_init(struct bwi_mac *);
 
-static int	bwi_mac_fw_alloc(struct bwi_mac *);
 static void	bwi_mac_fw_free(struct bwi_mac *);
 static int	bwi_mac_fw_load(struct bwi_mac *);
 static int	bwi_mac_fw_init(struct bwi_mac *);
@@ -325,10 +324,6 @@ bwi_mac_init(struct bwi_mac *mac)
 	/*
 	 * Load and initialize firmwares
 	 */
-	error = bwi_mac_fw_alloc(mac);
-	if (error)
-		return error;
-
 	error = bwi_mac_fw_load(mac);
 	if (error)
 		return error;
@@ -879,7 +874,7 @@ bwi_fwimage_is_valid(struct bwi_softc *sc, const struct firmware *fw,
 /*
  * XXX Error cleanup
  */
-static int
+int
 bwi_mac_fw_alloc(struct bwi_mac *mac)
 {
 	struct bwi_softc *sc = mac->mac_sc;
diff --git a/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.h b/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.h
index 2c5275edfab7..a6d90083c60b 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.h
+++ b/sys/dev/bwi/bwimac.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ void		bwi_mac_init_tpctl_11bg(struct bwi_mac *);
 void		bwi_mac_dummy_xmit(struct bwi_mac *);
 void		bwi_mac_reset_hwkeys(struct bwi_mac *);
 int		bwi_mac_config_ps(struct bwi_mac *);
+int		bwi_mac_fw_alloc(struct bwi_mac *);
 
 uint16_t	bwi_memobj_read_2(struct bwi_mac *, uint16_t, uint16_t);
 uint32_t	bwi_memobj_read_4(struct bwi_mac *, uint16_t, uint16_t);
diff --git a/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c b/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
index 9f66ff45da7f..53fb58faf783 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
@@ -446,6 +446,10 @@ bwi_attach(struct bwi_softc *sc)
 	if (error)
 		goto fail;
 
+	error = bwi_mac_fw_alloc(mac);
+	if (error)
+		goto fail;
+
 	ifp = sc->sc_ifp = if_alloc(IFT_IEEE80211);
 	if (ifp == NULL) {
 		device_printf(dev, "can not if_alloc()\n");