diff --git a/sys/dev/ath/if_ath.c b/sys/dev/ath/if_ath.c
index ed4b3c36d90..e8e8cbf7df2 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ath/if_ath.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ath/if_ath.c
@@ -2856,13 +2856,6 @@ ath_descdma_alloc_desc(struct ath_softc *sc,
 	}
 
 	/* allocate descriptors */
-	error = bus_dmamap_create(dd->dd_dmat, BUS_DMA_NOWAIT, &dd->dd_dmamap);
-	if (error != 0) {
-		if_printf(ifp, "unable to create dmamap for %s descriptors, "
-			"error %u\n", dd->dd_name, error);
-		goto fail0;
-	}
-
 	error = bus_dmamem_alloc(dd->dd_dmat, (void**) &dd->dd_desc,
 				 BUS_DMA_NOWAIT | BUS_DMA_COHERENT,
 				 &dd->dd_dmamap);
@@ -2892,8 +2885,6 @@ ath_descdma_alloc_desc(struct ath_softc *sc,
 fail2:
 	bus_dmamem_free(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_desc, dd->dd_dmamap);
 fail1:
-	bus_dmamap_destroy(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_dmamap);
-fail0:
 	bus_dma_tag_destroy(dd->dd_dmat);
 	memset(dd, 0, sizeof(*dd));
 	return error;
@@ -2976,7 +2967,6 @@ ath_descdma_setup(struct ath_softc *sc,
 fail3:
 	bus_dmamap_unload(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_dmamap);
 	bus_dmamem_free(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_desc, dd->dd_dmamap);
-	bus_dmamap_destroy(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_dmamap);
 	bus_dma_tag_destroy(dd->dd_dmat);
 	memset(dd, 0, sizeof(*dd));
 	return error;
@@ -3057,7 +3047,6 @@ ath_descdma_cleanup(struct ath_softc *sc,
 	if (dd->dd_dmamap != 0) {
 		bus_dmamap_unload(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_dmamap);
 		bus_dmamem_free(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_desc, dd->dd_dmamap);
-		bus_dmamap_destroy(dd->dd_dmat, dd->dd_dmamap);
 		bus_dma_tag_destroy(dd->dd_dmat);
 	}