diff --git a/sys/dev/rtwn/usb/rtwn_usb_reg.c b/sys/dev/rtwn/usb/rtwn_usb_reg.c
index 5a992379e248..e81e6383433d 100644
--- a/sys/dev/rtwn/usb/rtwn_usb_reg.c
+++ b/sys/dev/rtwn/usb/rtwn_usb_reg.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ rtwn_do_request(struct rtwn_softc *sc, struct usb_device_request *req,
 
        while (ntries--) {
                err = usbd_do_request_flags(uc->uc_udev, &sc->sc_mtx,
-                   req, data, 0, NULL, 250 /* ms */);
+                   req, data, USB_FORCE_CTRL_LONG, NULL, 250 /* ms */);
                if (err == USB_ERR_NORMAL_COMPLETION)
                        return (0);
 
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ rtwn_do_request(struct rtwn_softc *sc, struct usb_device_request *req,
 
                usb_pause_mtx(&sc->sc_mtx, hz / 100);
        }
+
+       device_printf(sc->sc_dev, "%s: control transfer failed; err=%d\n",
+           __func__,
+           err);
        return (EIO);
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/dev/usb/usb_request.c b/sys/dev/usb/usb_request.c
index 55e5f04194d9..a8c4265cd1e9 100644
--- a/sys/dev/usb/usb_request.c
+++ b/sys/dev/usb/usb_request.c
@@ -536,6 +536,14 @@ usbd_do_request_flags(struct usb_device *udev, struct mtx *mtx,
                goto done;
        }
 
+       /* Set control transfer interval to 1 ms */
+       if (flags & USB_FORCE_CTRL_LONG)
+               usbd_xfer_set_interval(xfer, 2);
+       /*
+        * XXX should I set the interval back to the default somehow
+        * otherwise?
+        */
+
 #ifdef USB_REQ_DEBUG
        /* Get debug bits */
        usbd_get_debug_bits(udev, req, &dbg);
diff --git a/sys/dev/usb/usbdi.h b/sys/dev/usb/usbdi.h
index 5192591281f4..5c5bf72d13b3 100644
--- a/sys/dev/usb/usbdi.h
+++ b/sys/dev/usb/usbdi.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ typedef enum {        /* keep in sync with usb_errstr_table */
 #define        USB_USER_DATA_PTR       0x0020  /* internal flag */
 #define        USB_MULTI_SHORT_OK      0x0040  /* allow multiple short frames */
 #define        USB_MANUAL_STATUS       0x0080  /* manual ctrl status */
+#define        USB_FORCE_CTRL_LONG     0x0100  /* force 1ms for control transfers */
 
 #define        USB_NO_TIMEOUT 0
 #define        USB_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT 5000        /* 5000 ms = 5 seconds */