diff --git a/drivers/staging/vt6656/iwctl.c b/drivers/staging/vt6656/iwctl.c
index d0cf7d8a20e5..8872e0f84f40 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/vt6656/iwctl.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/vt6656/iwctl.c
@@ -1634,6 +1634,9 @@ int iwctl_siwencodeext(struct net_device *dev, struct iw_request_info *info,
 	if (pMgmt == NULL)
 		return -EFAULT;
 
+	if (!(pDevice->flags & DEVICE_FLAGS_OPENED))
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	buf = kzalloc(sizeof(struct viawget_wpa_param), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (buf == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;