diff --git a/sys/dev/iwx/if_iwx.c b/sys/dev/iwx/if_iwx.c
--- a/sys/dev/iwx/if_iwx.c
+++ b/sys/dev/iwx/if_iwx.c
@@ -10671,6 +10671,8 @@
 	struct iwx_softc *sc = device_get_softc(dev);
 	int err;
 
+	IWX_LOCK(sc);
+
 	err = iwx_start_hw(sc);
 	if (err) {
 		return err;
@@ -10684,6 +10686,7 @@
 
 	ieee80211_start_all(&sc->sc_ic);
 
+	IWX_UNLOCK(sc);
 	return (0);
 }