spin_lock_irqsave(&priv->lock, flags);
        iwl_write32(priv, CSR_UCODE_DRV_GP1_CLR, CSR_UCODE_SW_BIT_RFKILL);
 
-       clear_bit(STATUS_RF_KILL_SW, &priv->status);
+       /* If the driver is up it will receive CARD_STATE_NOTIFICATION
+        * notification where it will clear SW rfkill status.
+        * Setting it here would break the handler. Only if the
+        * interface is down we can set here since we don't
+        * receive any further notification.
+        */
+       if (!priv->is_open)
+               clear_bit(STATUS_RF_KILL_SW, &priv->status);
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->lock, flags);
 
        /* wake up ucode */
                return 0;
        }
 
-       if (priv->is_open)
-               queue_work(priv->workqueue, &priv->restart);
+       /* If the driver is already loaded, it will receive
+        * CARD_STATE_NOTIFICATION notifications and the handler will
+        * call restart to reload the driver.
+        */
        return 1;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(iwl_radio_kill_sw_enable_radio);
 
                IWL_DEBUG(IWL_DL_RF_KILL, "RF_KILL bit toggled to %s.\n",
                                hw_rf_kill ? "disable radio":"enable radio");
 
-               /* Queue restart only if RF_KILL switch was set to "kill"
-                *   when we loaded driver, and is now set to "enable".
-                * After we're Alive, RF_KILL gets handled by
-                *   iwl4965_rx_card_state_notif() */
-               if (!hw_rf_kill && !test_bit(STATUS_ALIVE, &priv->status)) {
+               /* driver only loads ucode once setting the interface up.
+                * the driver as well won't allow loading if RFKILL is set
+                * therefore no need to restart the driver from this handler
+                */
+               if (!hw_rf_kill && !test_bit(STATUS_ALIVE, &priv->status))
                        clear_bit(STATUS_RF_KILL_HW, &priv->status);
-                       queue_work(priv->workqueue, &priv->restart);
-               }
 
                handled |= CSR_INT_BIT_RF_KILL;
        }