diff --git a/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c b/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
index cc51b3b3699..0349450652a 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
@@ -490,10 +490,12 @@ bwi_attach(struct bwi_softc *sc)
 				   BWI_SPROM_CARD_INFO_LOCALE);
 	DPRINTF(sc, BWI_DBG_ATTACH, "locale: %d\n", sc->sc_locale);
 	/* XXX use locale */
+
+	ic->ic_softc = sc;
+
 	bwi_getradiocaps(ic, IEEE80211_CHAN_MAX, &ic->ic_nchans,
 	    ic->ic_channels);
 
-	ic->ic_softc = sc;
 	ic->ic_name = device_get_nameunit(dev);
 	ic->ic_caps = IEEE80211_C_STA |
 		      IEEE80211_C_SHSLOT |