diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwl-trans.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwl-trans.c
index 311b167ea09e..510e04b721da 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwl-trans.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwl-trans.c
@@ -454,6 +454,9 @@ IWL_EXPORT_SYMBOL(iwl_trans_txq_enable_cfg);
 
 int iwl_trans_wait_txq_empty(struct iwl_trans *trans, int queue)
 {
+	if (unlikely(test_bit(STATUS_FW_ERROR, &trans->status)))
+		return -EIO;
+
 	if (WARN_ONCE(trans->state != IWL_TRANS_FW_ALIVE,
 		      "bad state = %d\n", trans->state))
 		return -EIO;