diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211.c
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@
 	ifp = if_alloc(IFT_ETHER);
 	if_initname(ifp, name, unit);
 	ifp->if_softc = vap;			/* back pointer */
-	ifp->if_flags = IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_MULTICAST;
+	if_setflags(ifp, IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_MULTICAST);
 	ifp->if_transmit = ieee80211_vap_transmit;
 	ifp->if_qflush = ieee80211_vap_qflush;
 	ifp->if_ioctl = ieee80211_ioctl;
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.h b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.h
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.h
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.h
@@ -263,8 +263,8 @@
 const char *	ieee80211_get_vap_ifname(struct ieee80211vap *);
 
 #define	IFNET_IS_UP_RUNNING(_ifp) \
-	(((_ifp)->if_flags & IFF_UP) && \
-	 ((_ifp)->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING))
+	((if_getflags(_ifp) & IFF_UP) && \
+	 (if_getdrvflags(_ifp) & IFF_DRV_RUNNING))
 
 #define	msecs_to_ticks(ms)	MSEC_2_TICKS(ms)
 #define	ticks_to_msecs(t)	TICKS_2_MSEC(t)
@@ -543,6 +543,10 @@
 void ieee80211_vap_sync_mac_address(struct ieee80211vap *);
 void ieee80211_vap_copy_mac_address(struct ieee80211vap *);
 void ieee80211_vap_deliver_data(struct ieee80211vap *, struct mbuf *);
+bool ieee80211_vap_check_is_monitor(struct ieee80211vap *);
+bool ieee80211_vap_check_is_simplex(struct ieee80211vap *);
+bool ieee80211_vap_check_is_running(struct ieee80211vap *);
+void ieee80211_vap_set_is_running(struct ieee80211vap *, bool);
 
 #endif /* _KERNEL */
 
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.c
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_freebsd.c
@@ -1259,6 +1259,71 @@
 	NET_EPOCH_EXIT(et);
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Return whether the VAP is configured with monitor mode
+ *
+ * This checks the operating system layer for whether monitor mode
+ * is enabled.
+ *
+ * @param vap	the current VAP
+ * @retval true if the underlying interface is in MONITOR mode, false otherwise
+ */
+bool
+ieee80211_vap_check_is_monitor(struct ieee80211vap *vap)
+{
+	struct ifnet *ifp = vap->iv_ifp;
+
+	return !! (if_getflags(ifp) & IFF_MONITOR);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Return whether the VAP is configured in simplex mode.
+ *
+ * This checks the operating system layer for whether simplex mode
+ * is enabled.
+ *
+ * @param vap	the current VAP
+ * @retval true if the underlying interface is in SIMPLEX mode, false otherwise
+ */
+bool
+ieee80211_vap_check_is_simplex(struct ieee80211vap *vap)
+{
+	struct ifnet *ifp = vap->iv_ifp;
+
+	return !! (if_getflags(ifp) & IFF_SIMPLEX);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Return if the VAP underlying network interface is running
+ *
+ * @param vap	the current VAP
+ * @retval true if the underlying interface is running; false otherwise
+ */
+bool
+ieee80211_vap_check_is_running(struct ieee80211vap *vap)
+{
+	struct ifnet *ifp = vap->iv_ifp;
+
+	return  !! (if_getdrvflags(ifp) & IFF_DRV_RUNNING);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Change the VAP underlying network interface state
+ *
+ * @param vap	the current VAP
+ * @param state	true to mark the interface as RUNNING, false to clear
+ */
+void
+ieee80211_vap_set_is_running(struct ieee80211vap *vap, bool state)
+{
+	struct ifnet *ifp = vap->iv_ifp;
+
+	if (state)
+		if_setdrvflagbits(ifp, IFF_DRV_RUNNING, 0);
+	else
+		if_setdrvflagbits(ifp, 0, IFF_DRV_RUNNING);
+}
+
 /*
  * Module glue.
  *
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_ioctl.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_ioctl.c
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_ioctl.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_ioctl.c
@@ -3619,7 +3619,7 @@
 					wait = 1;
 				ieee80211_start_locked(vap);
 			}
-		} else if (ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING) {
+		} else if (ieee80211_vap_check_is_running(vap)) {
 			/*
 			 * Stop ourself.  If we are the last vap to be
 			 * marked down the parent will also be taken down.
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_output.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_output.c
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_output.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_output.c
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@
 	if (error)
 		senderr(error);
 #endif
-	if (ifp->if_flags & IFF_MONITOR)
+	if (ieee80211_vap_check_is_monitor(vap))
 		senderr(ENETDOWN);
 	if (!IFNET_IS_UP_RUNNING(ifp))
 		senderr(ENETDOWN);
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_proto.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_proto.c
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_proto.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_proto.c
@@ -1976,7 +1976,6 @@
 void
 ieee80211_start_locked(struct ieee80211vap *vap)
 {
-	struct ifnet *ifp = vap->iv_ifp;
 	struct ieee80211com *ic = vap->iv_ic;
 
 	IEEE80211_LOCK_ASSERT(ic);
@@ -1985,7 +1984,7 @@
 		IEEE80211_MSG_STATE | IEEE80211_MSG_DEBUG,
 		"start running, %d vaps running\n", ic->ic_nrunning);
 
-	if ((ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING) == 0) {
+	if (! ieee80211_vap_check_is_running(vap)) {
 		/*
 		 * Mark us running.  Note that it's ok to do this first;
 		 * if we need to bring the parent device up we defer that
@@ -1994,7 +1993,7 @@
 		 * through ieee80211_start_all at which point we'll come
 		 * back in here and complete the work.
 		 */
-		ifp->if_drv_flags |= IFF_DRV_RUNNING;
+		ieee80211_vap_set_is_running(vap, true);
 		ieee80211_notify_ifnet_change(vap, IFF_DRV_RUNNING);
 
 		/*
@@ -2099,7 +2098,6 @@
 ieee80211_stop_locked(struct ieee80211vap *vap)
 {
 	struct ieee80211com *ic = vap->iv_ic;
-	struct ifnet *ifp = vap->iv_ifp;
 
 	IEEE80211_LOCK_ASSERT(ic);
 
@@ -2107,8 +2105,8 @@
 	    "stop running, %d vaps running\n", ic->ic_nrunning);
 
 	ieee80211_new_state_locked(vap, IEEE80211_S_INIT, -1);
-	if (ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING) {
-		ifp->if_drv_flags &= ~IFF_DRV_RUNNING;	/* mark us stopped */
+	if (ieee80211_vap_check_is_running(vap)) {
+		ieee80211_vap_set_is_running(vap, false); /* mark us stopped */
 		ieee80211_notify_ifnet_change(vap, IFF_DRV_RUNNING);
 		if (--ic->ic_nrunning == 0) {
 			IEEE80211_DPRINTF(vap,
diff --git a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c
--- a/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c
+++ b/sys/net80211/ieee80211_sta.c
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@
 		}
 	resubmit_ampdu:
 		if (dir == IEEE80211_FC1_DIR_FROMDS) {
-			if ((ifp->if_flags & IFF_SIMPLEX) &&
+			if (ieee80211_vap_check_is_simplex(vap) &&
 			    isfromds_mcastecho(vap, wh)) {
 				/*
 				 * In IEEE802.11 network, multicast
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@
 				vap->iv_stats.is_rx_wrongdir++;
 				goto out;
 			}
-			if ((ifp->if_flags & IFF_SIMPLEX) &&
+			if (ieee80211_vap_check_is_simplex(vap) &&
 			    isdstods_mcastecho(vap, wh)) {
 				/*
 				 * In IEEE802.11 network, multicast