diff --git a/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c b/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
index 5501c13f7b7..48eec98c74c 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi.c
@@ -511,7 +511,8 @@ bwi_attach(struct bwi_softc *sc)
 		      IEEE80211_C_SHPREAMBLE |
 		      IEEE80211_C_WPA |
 		      IEEE80211_C_BGSCAN |
-		      IEEE80211_C_MONITOR;
+		      IEEE80211_C_MONITOR |
+		      IEEE80211_C_RATECTL;
 	ic->ic_opmode = IEEE80211_M_STA;
 	ieee80211_ifattach(ic, macaddr);
 
diff --git a/sys/dev/bwn/if_bwn.c b/sys/dev/bwn/if_bwn.c
index 65d17b49474..e9f4c85882d 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bwn/if_bwn.c
+++ b/sys/dev/bwn/if_bwn.c
@@ -1070,6 +1070,7 @@ bwn_attach_post(struct bwn_softc *sc)
 		| IEEE80211_C_WPA		/* capable of WPA1+WPA2 */
 		| IEEE80211_C_BGSCAN		/* capable of bg scanning */
 		| IEEE80211_C_TXPMGT		/* capable of txpow mgt */
+		| IEEE80211_C_RATECTL		/* use ratectl */
 		;
 
 	ic->ic_flags_ext |= IEEE80211_FEXT_SWBMISS;	/* s/w bmiss */
diff --git a/sys/dev/iwn/if_iwn.c b/sys/dev/iwn/if_iwn.c
index 12d1bcd960a..be617fc17d5 100644
--- a/sys/dev/iwn/if_iwn.c
+++ b/sys/dev/iwn/if_iwn.c
@@ -580,6 +580,7 @@ iwn_attach(device_t dev)
 		| IEEE80211_C_IBSS		/* ibss/adhoc mode */
 #endif
 		| IEEE80211_C_WME		/* WME */
+		| IEEE80211_C_RATECTL		/* use ratectl */
 		;
 #if 0	/* HT */
 	/* XXX disable until HT channel setup works */
diff --git a/sys/dev/ral/rt2560.c b/sys/dev/ral/rt2560.c
index 8589768d422..097771f46ed 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ral/rt2560.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ral/rt2560.c
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ rt2560_attach(device_t dev, int id)
 #ifdef notyet
 		| IEEE80211_C_TXFRAG		/* handle tx frags */
 #endif
+		| IEEE80211_C_RATECTL		/* use ratectl */
 		;
 
 	bands = 0;
diff --git a/sys/dev/ral/rt2661.c b/sys/dev/ral/rt2661.c
index 9b77c23dc0e..04729be035e 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ral/rt2661.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ral/rt2661.c
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ rt2661_attach(device_t dev, int id)
 		| IEEE80211_C_TXFRAG		/* handle tx frags */
 		| IEEE80211_C_WME		/* 802.11e */
 #endif
+		| IEEE80211_C_RATECTL		/* use ratectl */
 		;
 
 	bands = 0;
diff --git a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_rum.c b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_rum.c
index 3baa09a3d2f..d8378f846f4 100644
--- a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_rum.c
+++ b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_rum.c
@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ rum_attach(device_t self)
 	    | IEEE80211_C_SHSLOT	/* short slot time supported */
 	    | IEEE80211_C_BGSCAN	/* bg scanning supported */
 	    | IEEE80211_C_WPA		/* 802.11i */
+	    | IEEE80211_C_RATECTL	/* use ratectl */
 	    ;
 
 	bands = 0;
diff --git a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_run.c b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_run.c
index f76bbdceb13..c594f2148fd 100644
--- a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_run.c
+++ b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_run.c
@@ -636,7 +636,8 @@ run_attach(device_t self)
 	    IEEE80211_C_SHPREAMBLE |	/* short preamble supported */
 	    IEEE80211_C_SHSLOT |	/* short slot time supported */
 	    IEEE80211_C_WME |		/* WME */
-	    IEEE80211_C_WPA;		/* WPA1|WPA2(RSN) */
+	    IEEE80211_C_WPA |		/* WPA1|WPA2(RSN) */
+	    IEEE80211_C_RATECTL;	/* use ratectl */
 
 	ic->ic_cryptocaps =
 	    IEEE80211_CRYPTO_WEP |
diff --git a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_ural.c b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_ural.c
index 54ad7f97b0f..c3e60cd59fb 100644
--- a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_ural.c
+++ b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_ural.c
@@ -485,6 +485,7 @@ ural_attach(device_t self)
 	    | IEEE80211_C_SHSLOT	/* short slot time supported */
 	    | IEEE80211_C_BGSCAN	/* bg scanning supported */
 	    | IEEE80211_C_WPA		/* 802.11i */
+	    | IEEE80211_C_RATECTL	/* use ratectl */
 	    ;
 
 	bands = 0;
diff --git a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_zyd.c b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_zyd.c
index 1a298f8ff58..94ad559a50d 100644
--- a/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_zyd.c
+++ b/sys/dev/usb/wlan/if_zyd.c
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ zyd_attach(device_t dev)
 	        | IEEE80211_C_SHSLOT		/* short slot time supported */
 		| IEEE80211_C_BGSCAN		/* capable of bg scanning */
 	        | IEEE80211_C_WPA		/* 802.11i */
+		| IEEE80211_C_RATECTL		/* use ratectl */
 		;
 
 	bands = 0;
diff --git a/sys/dev/wpi/if_wpi.c b/sys/dev/wpi/if_wpi.c
index f6edc916569..26336bfc3b8 100644
--- a/sys/dev/wpi/if_wpi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/wpi/if_wpi.c
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ wpi_attach(device_t dev)
 		| IEEE80211_C_WME		/* 802.11e */
 		| IEEE80211_C_HOSTAP		/* Host access point mode */
 #endif
+		| IEEE80211_C_RATECTL		/* use ratectl */
 		;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c
index 97ff7c21ad4..684882490b1 100644
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c
@@ -487,7 +487,8 @@ ieee80211_vap_setup(struct ieee80211com *ic, struct ieee80211vap *vap,
 	ieee80211_regdomain_vattach(vap);
 	ieee80211_radiotap_vattach(vap);
 
-	ieee80211_ratectl_set(vap, IEEE80211_RATECTL_AMRR);
+	if (vap->iv_caps & IEEE80211_C_RATECTL)
+		ieee80211_ratectl_set(vap, IEEE80211_RATECTL_AMRR);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_node.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_node.c
index 2c1acffe3b0..e3c2769259f 100644
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_node.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_node.c
@@ -817,7 +817,8 @@ ieee80211_sta_join(struct ieee80211vap *vap, struct ieee80211_channel *chan,
 	if (ieee80211_iserp_rateset(&ni->ni_rates))
 		ni->ni_flags |= IEEE80211_NODE_ERP;
 	ieee80211_node_setuptxparms(ni);
-	ieee80211_ratectl_node_init(ni);
+	if (vap->iv_caps & IEEE80211_C_RATECTL)
+		ieee80211_ratectl_node_init(ni);
 
 	return ieee80211_sta_join1(ieee80211_ref_node(ni));
 }
@@ -1037,7 +1038,8 @@ node_free(struct ieee80211_node *ni)
 {
 	struct ieee80211com *ic = ni->ni_ic;
 
-	ieee80211_ratectl_node_deinit(ni);
+	if (ni->ni_vap->iv_caps & IEEE80211_C_RATECTL)
+		ieee80211_ratectl_node_deinit(ni);
 	ic->ic_node_cleanup(ni);
 	ieee80211_ies_cleanup(&ni->ni_ies);
 	ieee80211_psq_cleanup(&ni->ni_psq);
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c
index f93c3ed7346..5764fa017cb 100644
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c
@@ -1597,7 +1597,8 @@ sta_recv_mgmt(struct ieee80211_node *ni, struct mbuf *m0,
 			     IEEE80211_F_JOIN | IEEE80211_F_DOBRS);
 			ieee80211_setup_basic_htrates(ni, htinfo);
 			ieee80211_node_setuptxparms(ni);
-			ieee80211_ratectl_node_init(ni);
+			if (vap->iv_caps & IEEE80211_C_RATECTL)
+				ieee80211_ratectl_node_init(ni);
 		} else {
 #ifdef IEEE80211_SUPPORT_SUPERG
 			if (IEEE80211_ATH_CAP(vap, ni, IEEE80211_NODE_ATH))
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_var.h b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_var.h
index eea8dbe2855..c80ee9ee9d3 100644
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_var.h
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_var.h
@@ -601,7 +601,8 @@ MALLOC_DECLARE(M_80211_VAP);
 #define	IEEE80211_C_MONITOR	0x00010000	/* CAPABILITY: monitor mode */
 #define	IEEE80211_C_DFS		0x00020000	/* CAPABILITY: DFS/radar avail*/
 #define	IEEE80211_C_MBSS	0x00040000	/* CAPABILITY: MBSS available */
-/* 0x7c0000 available */
+#define	IEEE80211_C_RATECTL	0x00080000	/* CAPABILITY: use ratectl */
+/* 0x700000 available */
 #define	IEEE80211_C_WPA1	0x00800000	/* CAPABILITY: WPA1 avail */
 #define	IEEE80211_C_WPA2	0x01000000	/* CAPABILITY: WPA2 avail */
 #define	IEEE80211_C_WPA		0x01800000	/* CAPABILITY: WPA1+WPA2 avail*/