diff --git a/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h b/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h
index 4bd266ec5333..70dfb6415c20 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h
+++ b/net/mac80211/driver-ops.h
@@ -493,9 +493,18 @@ int drv_sta_state(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 	check_sdata_in_driver(sdata);
 
 	trace_drv_sta_state(local, sdata, &sta->sta, old_state, new_state);
-	if (local->ops->sta_state)
+	if (local->ops->sta_state) {
 		ret = local->ops->sta_state(&local->hw, &sdata->vif, &sta->sta,
 					    old_state, new_state);
+	} else if (old_state == IEEE80211_STA_AUTH &&
+		   new_state == IEEE80211_STA_ASSOC) {
+		ret = drv_sta_add(local, sdata, &sta->sta);
+		if (ret == 0)
+			sta->uploaded = true;
+	} else if (old_state == IEEE80211_STA_ASSOC &&
+		   new_state == IEEE80211_STA_AUTH) {
+		drv_sta_remove(local, sdata, &sta->sta);
+	}
 	trace_drv_return_int(local, ret);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/net/mac80211/pm.c b/net/mac80211/pm.c
index af49ac4f0826..2b53a5348ace 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/pm.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/pm.c
@@ -100,8 +100,6 @@ int __ieee80211_suspend(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, struct cfg80211_wowlan *wowlan)
 		if (sta->uploaded) {
 			enum ieee80211_sta_state state;
 
-			drv_sta_remove(local, sta->sdata, &sta->sta);
-
 			state = sta->sta_state;
 			for (; state > IEEE80211_STA_NOTEXIST; state--)
 				WARN_ON(drv_sta_state(local, sdata, sta,
diff --git a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
index fcd9027c6699..5e577bd0e6aa 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
@@ -365,7 +365,12 @@ static int sta_info_insert_drv_state(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 	}
 
 	if (!err) {
-		sta->uploaded = true;
+		/*
+		 * Drivers using legacy sta_add/sta_remove callbacks only
+		 * get uploaded set to true after sta_add is called.
+		 */
+		if (!local->ops->sta_add)
+			sta->uploaded = true;
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -417,18 +422,9 @@ static int sta_info_insert_finish(struct sta_info *sta) __acquires(RCU)
 
 	if (!sta->dummy || dummy_reinsert) {
 		/* notify driver */
-		err = drv_sta_add(local, sdata, &sta->sta);
-		if (err) {
-			if (sdata->vif.type != NL80211_IFTYPE_ADHOC)
-				goto out_err;
-			printk(KERN_DEBUG "%s: failed to add IBSS STA %pM to "
-					  "driver (%d) - keeping it anyway.\n",
-			       sdata->name, sta->sta.addr, err);
-		} else {
-			err = sta_info_insert_drv_state(local, sdata, sta);
-			if (err)
-				goto out_err;
-		}
+		err = sta_info_insert_drv_state(local, sdata, sta);
+		if (err)
+			goto out_err;
 	}
 
 	if (!dummy_reinsert) {
@@ -802,7 +798,6 @@ int __must_check __sta_info_destroy(struct sta_info *sta)
 	}
 
 	if (sta->uploaded) {
-		drv_sta_remove(local, sdata, &sta->sta);
 		ret = drv_sta_state(local, sdata, sta, IEEE80211_STA_NONE,
 				    IEEE80211_STA_NOTEXIST);
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(ret != 0);
diff --git a/net/mac80211/util.c b/net/mac80211/util.c
index 8f8b4ecc776f..264397aee811 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/util.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/util.c
@@ -1187,8 +1187,6 @@ int ieee80211_reconfig(struct ieee80211_local *local)
 		if (sta->uploaded) {
 			enum ieee80211_sta_state state;
 
-			WARN_ON(drv_sta_add(local, sta->sdata, &sta->sta));
-
 			for (state = IEEE80211_STA_NOTEXIST;
 			     state < sta->sta_state - 1; state++)
 				WARN_ON(drv_sta_state(local, sta->sdata, sta,