diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_tx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_tx.c
index ae5b33fe5ba8..374ce35940d0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_tx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_tx.c
@@ -158,6 +158,9 @@ void ath10k_htt_tx_dec_pending(struct ath10k_htt *htt)
 	htt->num_pending_tx--;
 	if (htt->num_pending_tx == htt->max_num_pending_tx - 1)
 		ath10k_mac_tx_unlock(htt->ar, ATH10K_TX_PAUSE_Q_FULL);
+
+	if (htt->num_pending_tx == 0)
+		wake_up(&htt->empty_tx_wq);
 }
 
 int ath10k_htt_tx_inc_pending(struct ath10k_htt *htt)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/txrx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/txrx.c
index beeb6be06939..b6c050452b75 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/txrx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/txrx.c
@@ -89,8 +89,6 @@ int ath10k_txrx_tx_unref(struct ath10k_htt *htt,
 
 	ath10k_htt_tx_free_msdu_id(htt, tx_done->msdu_id);
 	ath10k_htt_tx_dec_pending(htt);
-	if (htt->num_pending_tx == 0)
-		wake_up(&htt->empty_tx_wq);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&htt->tx_lock);
 
 	dma_unmap_single(dev, skb_cb->paddr, msdu->len, DMA_TO_DEVICE);