diff --git a/sys/dev/rtwn/rtl8192c/r92c_tx.c b/sys/dev/rtwn/rtl8192c/r92c_tx.c
--- a/sys/dev/rtwn/rtl8192c/r92c_tx.c
+++ b/sys/dev/rtwn/rtl8192c/r92c_tx.c
@@ -77,11 +77,20 @@
 
 static void
 r92c_tx_protection(struct rtwn_softc *sc, struct r92c_tx_desc *txd,
-    enum ieee80211_protmode mode, uint8_t ridx)
+    enum ieee80211_protmode mode, uint8_t ridx, bool force_rate)
 {
 	struct ieee80211com *ic = &sc->sc_ic;
 	uint8_t rate;
 
+	/*
+	 * For now, disable setting TX protection if firmware rate control
+	 * is enabled and we're not forcing a rate.  Some further
+	 * logic will be needed here to determine which CCK/OFDM
+	 * rate to use for the RTS/CTS / CTS-to-self.
+	 */
+	if (sc->sc_ratectl == RTWN_RATECTL_FW && force_rate == false)
+		return;
+
 	switch (mode) {
 	case IEEE80211_PROT_CTSONLY:
 		txd->txdw4 |= htole32(R92C_TXDW4_CTS2SELF);
@@ -285,6 +294,41 @@
 		txd->txdw4 |= htole32(R92C_TXDW4_DATA_SHPRE);
 }
 
+static enum ieee80211_protmode
+r92c_tx_get_protmode(struct rtwn_softc *sc, const struct ieee80211vap *vap,
+    const struct mbuf *m,
+    uint8_t ridx, bool force_rate)
+{
+	const struct ieee80211com *ic = &sc->sc_ic;
+	enum ieee80211_protmode prot;
+
+	/*
+	 * For now don't enable RTS/CTS when doing firmware rate control.
+	 *
+	 * The r92c_tx_protection() routine above needs to grow the ability
+	 * to figure out what to do (ie, a CCK or OFDM RTS/CTS rate) without
+	 * an explicit ridx being set.
+	 */
+	if (sc->sc_ratectl == RTWN_RATECTL_FW && force_rate == false)
+		return (IEEE80211_PROT_NONE);
+
+	prot = IEEE80211_PROT_NONE;
+
+	if (RTWN_RATE_IS_HT(ridx))
+		prot = ic->ic_htprotmode;
+	else if (ic->ic_flags & IEEE80211_F_USEPROT)
+		prot = ic->ic_protmode;
+
+	/* XXX fix last comparison for A-MSDU (in net80211) */
+	/* XXX A-MPDU? */
+	if (m->m_pkthdr.len + IEEE80211_CRC_LEN >
+	    vap->iv_rtsthreshold &&
+	    vap->iv_rtsthreshold != IEEE80211_RTS_MAX)
+		prot = IEEE80211_PROT_RTSCTS;
+
+	return (prot);
+}
+
 void
 r92c_fill_tx_desc(struct rtwn_softc *sc, struct ieee80211_node *ni,
     struct mbuf *m, void *buf, uint8_t ridx, bool force_rate, int maxretry)
@@ -292,7 +336,6 @@
 #ifndef RTWN_WITHOUT_UCODE
 	struct r92c_softc *rs = sc->sc_priv;
 #endif
-	struct ieee80211com *ic = &sc->sc_ic;
 	struct ieee80211vap *vap = ni->ni_vap;
 	struct rtwn_vap *uvp = RTWN_VAP(vap);
 	struct ieee80211_frame *wh;
@@ -357,24 +400,22 @@
 
 			r92c_fill_tx_desc_shpreamble(sc, txd, ridx, force_rate);
 
-			prot = IEEE80211_PROT_NONE;
-			if (RTWN_RATE_IS_HT(ridx)) {
+			prot = r92c_tx_get_protmode(sc, vap, m, ridx,
+			    force_rate);
+
+			/*
+			 * Note: Firmware rate control will enable short-GI
+			 * based on the configured rate mask, however HT40
+			 * may not be enabled.
+			 */
+			if (sc->sc_ratectl != RTWN_RATECTL_FW &&
+			    RTWN_RATE_IS_HT(ridx)) {
 				r92c_tx_set_ht40(sc, txd, ni);
 				r92c_tx_set_sgi(sc, txd, ni);
-				prot = ic->ic_htprotmode;
-			} else if (ic->ic_flags & IEEE80211_F_USEPROT)
-				prot = ic->ic_protmode;
-
-			/* XXX fix last comparison for A-MSDU (in net80211) */
-			/* XXX A-MPDU? */
-			if (m->m_pkthdr.len + IEEE80211_CRC_LEN >
-			    vap->iv_rtsthreshold &&
-			    vap->iv_rtsthreshold != IEEE80211_RTS_MAX)
-				prot = IEEE80211_PROT_RTSCTS;
+			}
 
 			/* NB: checks for ht40 / short bits (set above). */
-			if (prot != IEEE80211_PROT_NONE)
-				r92c_tx_protection(sc, txd, prot, ridx);
+			r92c_tx_protection(sc, txd, prot, ridx, force_rate);
 		} else	/* IEEE80211_FC0_TYPE_MGT */
 			qsel = R92C_TXDW1_QSEL_MGNT;
 	} else {
@@ -438,9 +479,11 @@
 		    params->ibp_try0));
 	}
 	if (params->ibp_flags & IEEE80211_BPF_RTS)
-		r92c_tx_protection(sc, txd, IEEE80211_PROT_RTSCTS, ridx);
+		r92c_tx_protection(sc, txd, IEEE80211_PROT_RTSCTS, ridx,
+		    true);
 	if (params->ibp_flags & IEEE80211_BPF_CTS)
-		r92c_tx_protection(sc, txd, IEEE80211_PROT_CTSONLY, ridx);
+		r92c_tx_protection(sc, txd, IEEE80211_PROT_CTSONLY, ridx,
+		    true);
 
 	rtwn_r92c_tx_setup_macid(sc, txd, RTWN_MACID_BC);
 	txd->txdw1 |= htole32(SM(R92C_TXDW1_QSEL, R92C_TXDW1_QSEL_MGNT));