diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hw.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hw.c
index 9fd8e64288ffa..7e2e22b6bbbc5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hw.c
@@ -1622,7 +1622,6 @@ static void ath9k_hw_apply_gpio_override(struct ath_hw *ah)
 		ath9k_hw_gpio_request_out(ah, i, NULL,
 					  AR_GPIO_OUTPUT_MUX_AS_OUTPUT);
 		ath9k_hw_set_gpio(ah, i, !!(ah->gpio_val & BIT(i)));
-		ath9k_hw_gpio_free(ah, i);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2730,14 +2729,17 @@ static void ath9k_hw_gpio_cfg_output_mux(struct ath_hw *ah, u32 gpio, u32 type)
 static void ath9k_hw_gpio_cfg_soc(struct ath_hw *ah, u32 gpio, bool out,
 				  const char *label)
 {
+	int err;
+
 	if (ah->caps.gpio_requested & BIT(gpio))
 		return;
 
-	/* may be requested by BSP, free anyway */
-	gpio_free(gpio);
-
-	if (gpio_request_one(gpio, out ? GPIOF_OUT_INIT_LOW : GPIOF_IN, label))
+	err = gpio_request_one(gpio, out ? GPIOF_OUT_INIT_LOW : GPIOF_IN, label);
+	if (err) {
+		ath_err(ath9k_hw_common(ah), "request GPIO%d failed:%d\n",
+			gpio, err);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	ah->caps.gpio_requested |= BIT(gpio);
 }