diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
index 9ce6f49ab261..3736517002f6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
@@ -3673,11 +3673,14 @@ struct ath10k *ath10k_core_create(size_t priv_size, struct device *dev,
 	INIT_WORK(&ar->set_coverage_class_work,
 		  ath10k_core_set_coverage_class_work);
 
-	init_dummy_netdev(&ar->napi_dev);
+	ar->napi_dev = alloc_netdev(0, "dummy", NET_NAME_UNKNOWN,
+				    init_dummy_netdev);
+	if (!ar->napi_dev)
+		goto err_free_tx_complete;
 
 	ret = ath10k_coredump_create(ar);
 	if (ret)
-		goto err_free_tx_complete;
+		goto err_free_netdev;
 
 	ret = ath10k_debug_create(ar);
 	if (ret)
@@ -3687,6 +3690,8 @@ struct ath10k *ath10k_core_create(size_t priv_size, struct device *dev,
 
 err_free_coredump:
 	ath10k_coredump_destroy(ar);
+err_free_netdev:
+	free_netdev(ar->napi_dev);
 err_free_tx_complete:
 	destroy_workqueue(ar->workqueue_tx_complete);
 err_free_aux_wq:
@@ -3708,6 +3713,7 @@ void ath10k_core_destroy(struct ath10k *ar)
 
 	destroy_workqueue(ar->workqueue_tx_complete);
 
+	free_netdev(ar->napi_dev);
 	ath10k_debug_destroy(ar);
 	ath10k_coredump_destroy(ar);
 	ath10k_htt_tx_destroy(&ar->htt);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.h
index c110d15528bd..26003b519574 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.h
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@ struct ath10k {
 	struct ath10k_per_peer_tx_stats peer_tx_stats;
 
 	/* NAPI */
-	struct net_device napi_dev;
+	struct net_device *napi_dev;
 	struct napi_struct napi;
 
 	struct work_struct set_coverage_class_work;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/pci.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/pci.c
index 5c34b156b4ff..558bec96ae40 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/pci.c
@@ -3217,7 +3217,7 @@ static void ath10k_pci_free_irq(struct ath10k *ar)
 
 void ath10k_pci_init_napi(struct ath10k *ar)
 {
-	netif_napi_add(&ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_pci_napi_poll);
+	netif_napi_add(ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_pci_napi_poll);
 }
 
 static int ath10k_pci_init_irq(struct ath10k *ar)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/sdio.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/sdio.c
index 0ab5433f6cf6..e28f2fe1101b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/sdio.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/sdio.c
@@ -2532,7 +2532,7 @@ static int ath10k_sdio_probe(struct sdio_func *func,
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	netif_napi_add(&ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_sdio_napi_poll);
+	netif_napi_add(ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_sdio_napi_poll);
 
 	ath10k_dbg(ar, ATH10K_DBG_BOOT,
 		   "sdio new func %d vendor 0x%x device 0x%x block 0x%x/0x%x\n",
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/snoc.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/snoc.c
index 2c39bad7ebfb..0449b9ffc32d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/snoc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/snoc.c
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ static int ath10k_snoc_hif_start(struct ath10k *ar)
 
 	bitmap_clear(ar_snoc->pending_ce_irqs, 0, CE_COUNT_MAX);
 
-	dev_set_threaded(&ar->napi_dev, true);
+	dev_set_threaded(ar->napi_dev, true);
 	ath10k_core_napi_enable(ar);
 	ath10k_snoc_irq_enable(ar);
 	ath10k_snoc_rx_post(ar);
@@ -1253,7 +1253,7 @@ static int ath10k_snoc_napi_poll(struct napi_struct *ctx, int budget)
 
 static void ath10k_snoc_init_napi(struct ath10k *ar)
 {
-	netif_napi_add(&ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_snoc_napi_poll);
+	netif_napi_add(ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_snoc_napi_poll);
 }
 
 static int ath10k_snoc_request_irq(struct ath10k *ar)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c
index 3c482baacec1..3b51b7f52130 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/usb.c
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ static int ath10k_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *interface,
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	netif_napi_add(&ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_usb_napi_poll);
+	netif_napi_add(ar->napi_dev, &ar->napi, ath10k_usb_napi_poll);
 
 	usb_get_dev(dev);
 	vendor_id = le16_to_cpu(dev->descriptor.idVendor);
