diff --git a/include/net/mac80211.h b/include/net/mac80211.h
index 62c0ce2d1dc8..d024fc563e7b 100644
--- a/include/net/mac80211.h
+++ b/include/net/mac80211.h
@@ -1147,6 +1147,13 @@ enum ieee80211_hw_flags {
  * @napi_weight: weight used for NAPI polling.  You must specify an
  *	appropriate value here if a napi_poll operation is provided
  *	by your driver.
+
+ * @max_rx_aggregation_subframes: maximum buffer size (number of
+ *	sub-frames) to be used for A-MPDU block ack receiver
+ *	aggregation.
+ *	This is only relevant if the device has restrictions on the
+ *	number of subframes, if it relies on mac80211 to do reordering
+ *	it shouldn't be set.
  */
 struct ieee80211_hw {
 	struct ieee80211_conf conf;
@@ -1165,6 +1172,7 @@ struct ieee80211_hw {
 	u8 max_rates;
 	u8 max_report_rates;
 	u8 max_rate_tries;
+	u8 max_rx_aggregation_subframes;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/net/mac80211/agg-rx.c b/net/mac80211/agg-rx.c
index f138b195d657..002db5e86eb6 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/agg-rx.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/agg-rx.c
@@ -239,6 +239,9 @@ void ieee80211_process_addba_request(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 		buf_size = buf_size << sband->ht_cap.ampdu_factor;
 	}
 
+	/* make sure the size doesn't exceed the maximum supported by the hw */
+	if (buf_size > local->hw.max_rx_aggregation_subframes)
+		buf_size = local->hw.max_rx_aggregation_subframes;
 
 	/* examine state machine */
 	mutex_lock(&sta->ampdu_mlme.mtx);
diff --git a/net/mac80211/main.c b/net/mac80211/main.c
index 485d36bc9a46..1c507c6972e6 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/main.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/main.c
@@ -552,6 +552,7 @@ struct ieee80211_hw *ieee80211_alloc_hw(size_t priv_data_len,
 	local->hw.queues = 1;
 	local->hw.max_rates = 1;
 	local->hw.max_report_rates = 0;
+	local->hw.max_rx_aggregation_subframes = IEEE80211_MAX_AMPDU_BUF;
 	local->hw.conf.long_frame_max_tx_count = wiphy->retry_long;
 	local->hw.conf.short_frame_max_tx_count = wiphy->retry_short;
 	local->user_power_level = -1;