diff --git a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ar5212/ar5212_power.c b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ar5212/ar5212_power.c
index f1c1f3660be..55563289591 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ar5212/ar5212_power.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ath/ath_hal/ar5212/ar5212_power.c
@@ -134,20 +134,22 @@ ar5212SetPowerMode(struct ath_hal *ah, HAL_POWER_MODE mode, int setChip)
 		setChip ? "set chip " : "");
 	switch (mode) {
 	case HAL_PM_AWAKE:
+		ah->ah_powerMode = mode;
 		status = ar5212SetPowerModeAwake(ah, setChip);
 		break;
 	case HAL_PM_FULL_SLEEP:
 		ar5212SetPowerModeSleep(ah, setChip);
+		ah->ah_powerMode = mode;
 		break;
 	case HAL_PM_NETWORK_SLEEP:
 		ar5212SetPowerModeNetworkSleep(ah, setChip);
+		ah->ah_powerMode = mode;
 		break;
 	default:
 		HALDEBUG(ah, HAL_DEBUG_ANY, "%s: unknown power mode %u\n",
 		    __func__, mode);
 		return AH_FALSE;
 	}
-	ah->ah_powerMode = mode;
 	return status;
 }