diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index 08c284c4984a..1c2b88429ce4 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -4894,7 +4894,7 @@ static int ieee80211_add_intf_link(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 	if (wdev->use_4addr)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
-	return ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, wdev->valid_links, 0);
+	return ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, wdev->valid_links, 0, false);
 }
 
 static void ieee80211_del_intf_link(struct wiphy *wiphy,
@@ -4905,7 +4905,7 @@ static void ieee80211_del_intf_link(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 
 	lockdep_assert_wiphy(sdata->local->hw.wiphy);
 
-	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, wdev->valid_links, 0);
+	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, wdev->valid_links, 0, false);
 }
 
 static int sta_add_link_station(struct ieee80211_local *local,
diff --git a/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h b/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h
index 9ce7f7d2b573..34412ac5db71 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h
+++ b/net/mac80211/ieee80211_i.h
@@ -2040,10 +2040,11 @@ void ieee80211_link_init(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 			 struct ieee80211_bss_conf *link_conf);
 void ieee80211_link_stop(struct ieee80211_link_data *link);
 int ieee80211_vif_set_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
-			    u16 new_links, u16 dormant_links);
-static inline void ieee80211_vif_clear_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
+			    u16 new_links, u16 dormant_links, bool ignore_driver_failures);
+static inline void ieee80211_vif_clear_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
+					     bool ignore_driver_failures)
 {
-	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
+	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0, ignore_driver_failures);
 }
 
 /* tx handling */
diff --git a/net/mac80211/iface.c b/net/mac80211/iface.c
index 0c7ec6ef9136..c71e6c786b28 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/iface.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/iface.c
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ static void ieee80211_teardown_sdata(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
 	if (ieee80211_vif_is_mesh(&sdata->vif))
 		ieee80211_mesh_teardown_sdata(sdata);
 
-	ieee80211_vif_clear_links(sdata);
+	ieee80211_vif_clear_links(sdata, true);
 	ieee80211_link_stop(&sdata->deflink);
 }
 
diff --git a/net/mac80211/link.c b/net/mac80211/link.c
index 2dc0f46ee053..19c085a143e4 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/link.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/link.c
@@ -225,7 +225,9 @@ static void ieee80211_set_vif_links_bitmaps(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		if (sdata->vif.active_links)
 			break;
 		sdata->vif.active_links = valid_links & ~dormant_links;
-		WARN_ON(hweight16(sdata->vif.active_links) > 1);
+		if (WARN_ON(hweight16(sdata->vif.active_links) > 1))
+			sdata_err(sdata, "ERROR: set-vif-links-bitmaps: too many active-links,  valid_links: 0x%x  dormant_links: 0x%x  active_links: 0x%x\n",
+				  valid_links, dormant_links, sdata->vif.active_links);
 		break;
 	default:
 		WARN_ON(1);
@@ -234,7 +236,8 @@ static void ieee80211_set_vif_links_bitmaps(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 
 static int ieee80211_vif_update_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 				      struct link_container **to_free,
-				      u16 new_links, u16 dormant_links)
+				      u16 new_links, u16 dormant_links,
+				      bool ignore_driver_failures)
 {
 	u16 old_links = sdata->vif.valid_links;
 	u16 old_active = sdata->vif.active_links;
@@ -325,13 +328,17 @@ static int ieee80211_vif_update_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	}
 
 	if (ret) {
-		/* restore config */
-		memcpy(sdata->link, old_data, sizeof(old_data));
-		memcpy(sdata->vif.link_conf, old, sizeof(old));
-		ieee80211_set_vif_links_bitmaps(sdata, old_links, dormant_links);
-		/* and free (only) the newly allocated links */
-		memset(to_free, 0, sizeof(links));
-		goto free;
+		sdata_info(sdata, "driver error applying links: %d  Restoring old configuration, old_links: 0x%x  dormant_links: 0x%x requested new_links: 0x%x ignore-driver-failures: %d\n",
+			   ret, old_links, dormant_links, new_links, ignore_driver_failures);
+		if (!ignore_driver_failures) {
+			/* restore config */
+			memcpy(sdata->link, old_data, sizeof(old_data));
+			memcpy(sdata->vif.link_conf, old, sizeof(old));
+			ieee80211_set_vif_links_bitmaps(sdata, old_links, dormant_links);
+			/* and free (only) the newly allocated links */
+			memset(to_free, 0, sizeof(links));
+			goto free;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* use deflink/bss_conf again if and only if there are no more links */
@@ -352,13 +359,14 @@ static int ieee80211_vif_update_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 }
 
 int ieee80211_vif_set_links(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
-			    u16 new_links, u16 dormant_links)
+			    u16 new_links, u16 dormant_links,
+			    bool ignore_driver_failures)
 {
 	struct link_container *links[IEEE80211_MLD_MAX_NUM_LINKS];
 	int ret;
 
 	ret = ieee80211_vif_update_links(sdata, links, new_links,
-					 dormant_links);
+					 dormant_links, ignore_driver_failures);
 	ieee80211_free_links(sdata, links);
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/net/mac80211/mlme.c b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
index bbb337005766..21ae23531f5f 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/mlme.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
@@ -3215,7 +3215,7 @@ static void ieee80211_set_disassoc(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	memset(&sdata->u.mgd.ttlm_info, 0,
 	       sizeof(sdata->u.mgd.ttlm_info));
 	wiphy_delayed_work_cancel(sdata->local->hw.wiphy, &ifmgd->ttlm_work);
-	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
+	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0, true);
 }
 
 static void ieee80211_reset_ap_probe(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata)
@@ -3379,7 +3379,8 @@ static void ieee80211_mgd_probe_ap(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 
 	lockdep_assert_wiphy(sdata->local->hw.wiphy);
 
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(ieee80211_vif_is_mld(&sdata->vif)))
+	if (WARN_ONCE(ieee80211_vif_is_mld(&sdata->vif),
+		      "mgd-probe-ap called for MLD station: %s", sdata->dev->name))
 		return;
 
 	if (!ieee80211_sdata_running(sdata))
@@ -3654,7 +3655,7 @@ static void ieee80211_destroy_auth_data(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		sdata->u.mgd.flags = 0;
 
 		ieee80211_link_release_channel(&sdata->deflink);
-		ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
+		ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0, true);
 	}
 
 	cfg80211_put_bss(sdata->local->hw.wiphy, auth_data->bss);
@@ -3711,7 +3712,7 @@ static void ieee80211_destroy_assoc_data(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		}
 
 		ieee80211_link_release_channel(&sdata->deflink);
-		ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
+		ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0, true);
 	}
 
 	kfree(assoc_data);
@@ -5268,7 +5269,7 @@ static bool ieee80211_assoc_success(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 			}
 		}
 
-		ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, valid_links, dormant_links);
+		ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, valid_links, dormant_links, false);
 	}
 
 	for (link_id = 0; link_id < IEEE80211_MLD_MAX_NUM_LINKS; link_id++) {
@@ -5348,7 +5349,7 @@ static bool ieee80211_assoc_success(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	}
 
 	/* links might have changed due to rejected ones, set them again */
-	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, valid_links, dormant_links);
+	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, valid_links, dormant_links, false);
 
 	rate_control_rate_init(sta);
 
@@ -5915,7 +5916,7 @@ static void ieee80211_ml_reconf_work(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 	new_dormant_links = sdata->vif.dormant_links & ~sdata->u.mgd.removed_links;
 
 	ret = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, new_valid_links,
-				      new_dormant_links);
+				      new_dormant_links, false);
 	if (ret)
 		sdata_info(sdata, "Failed setting valid links\n");
 
@@ -6045,12 +6046,12 @@ static void ieee80211_tid_to_link_map_work(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, sdata->vif.valid_links, 0);
+	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, sdata->vif.valid_links, 0, false);
 	new_active_links = BIT(ffs(new_active_links) - 1);
 	ieee80211_set_active_links(&sdata->vif, new_active_links);
 
 	ret = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, sdata->vif.valid_links,
-				      new_dormant_links);
+				      new_dormant_links, false);
 
 	sdata->u.mgd.ttlm_info.active = true;
 	sdata->u.mgd.ttlm_info.switch_time = 0;
@@ -6165,7 +6166,7 @@ static void ieee80211_process_adv_ttlm(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 			 */
 			ret = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata,
 						      sdata->vif.valid_links,
-						      0);
+						      0, false);
 			if (ret) {
 				sdata_info(sdata, "Failed setting valid/dormant links\n");
 				return;
@@ -7229,12 +7230,12 @@ static int ieee80211_prep_connection(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		mlo = true;
 		if (WARN_ON(!ap_mld_addr))
 			return -EINVAL;
-		err = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, BIT(link_id), 0);
+		err = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, BIT(link_id), 0, false);
 	} else {
 		if (WARN_ON(ap_mld_addr))
 			return -EINVAL;
 		ap_mld_addr = cbss->bssid;
-		err = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
+		err = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0, false);
 		link_id = 0;
 		mlo = false;
 	}
@@ -7386,7 +7387,7 @@ static int ieee80211_prep_connection(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 
 out_err:
 	ieee80211_link_release_channel(&sdata->deflink);
-	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0);
+	ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0, 0, true);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -8037,7 +8038,7 @@ int ieee80211_mgd_assoc(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		}
 
 		/* if there was no authentication, set up the link */
-		err = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, BIT(assoc_link_id), 0);
+		err = ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, BIT(assoc_link_id), 0, false);
 		if (err)
 			goto err_clear;
 	} else {
