diff --git a/include/net/mac80211.h b/include/net/mac80211.h
index 4af0ffb98aa..f34f4ca7016 100644
--- a/include/net/mac80211.h
+++ b/include/net/mac80211.h
@@ -855,6 +855,19 @@ enum ieee80211_tkip_key_type {
  * any particular flags. There are some exceptions to this rule,
  * however, so you are advised to review these flags carefully.
  *
+ * @IEEE80211_HW_HAS_RATE_CONTROL:
+ *	The hardware or firmware includes rate control, and cannot be
+ *	controlled by the stack. As such, no rate control algorithm
+ *	should be instantiated, and the TX rate reported to userspace
+ *	will be taken from the TX status instead of the rate control
+ *	algorithm.
+ *	Note that this requires that the driver implement a number of
+ *	callbacks so it has the correct information, it needs to have
+ *	the @set_rts_threshold callback and must look at the BSS config
+ *	@use_cts_prot for G/N protection, @use_short_slot for slot
+ *	timing in 2.4 GHz and @use_short_preamble for preambles for
+ *	CCK frames.
+ *
  * @IEEE80211_HW_RX_INCLUDES_FCS:
  *	Indicates that received frames passed to the stack include
  *	the FCS at the end.
@@ -913,6 +926,7 @@ enum ieee80211_tkip_key_type {
  *	avoid waking up cpu.
  */
 enum ieee80211_hw_flags {
+	IEEE80211_HW_HAS_RATE_CONTROL			= 1<<0,
 	IEEE80211_HW_RX_INCLUDES_FCS			= 1<<1,
 	IEEE80211_HW_HOST_BROADCAST_PS_BUFFERING	= 1<<2,
 	IEEE80211_HW_2GHZ_SHORT_SLOT_INCAPABLE		= 1<<3,
diff --git a/net/mac80211/debugfs.c b/net/mac80211/debugfs.c
index 82c807723b6..e4b54093d41 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/debugfs.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/debugfs.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ DEBUGFS_READONLY_FILE(total_ps_buffered, 20, "%d",
 DEBUGFS_READONLY_FILE(wep_iv, 20, "%#08x",
 		      local->wep_iv & 0xffffff);
 DEBUGFS_READONLY_FILE(rate_ctrl_alg, 100, "%s",
-		      local->rate_ctrl ? local->rate_ctrl->ops->name : "<unset>");
+	local->rate_ctrl ? local->rate_ctrl->ops->name : "hw/driver");
 
 static ssize_t tsf_read(struct file *file, char __user *user_buf,
 			     size_t count, loff_t *ppos)
diff --git a/net/mac80211/rate.c b/net/mac80211/rate.c
index ccda7454fb1..b9007f80cb9 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/rate.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/rate.c
@@ -284,9 +284,16 @@ int ieee80211_init_rate_ctrl_alg(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 	struct rate_control_ref *ref, *old;
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
+
 	if (local->open_count)
 		return -EBUSY;
 
+	if (local->hw.flags & IEEE80211_HW_HAS_RATE_CONTROL) {
+		if (WARN_ON(!local->ops->set_rts_threshold))
+			return -EINVAL;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	ref = rate_control_alloc(name, local);
 	if (!ref) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: Failed to select rate control "
@@ -305,7 +312,6 @@ int ieee80211_init_rate_ctrl_alg(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 	       "algorithm '%s'\n", wiphy_name(local->hw.wiphy),
 	       ref->ops->name);
 
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -314,6 +320,10 @@ void rate_control_deinitialize(struct ieee80211_local *local)
 	struct rate_control_ref *ref;
 
 	ref = local->rate_ctrl;
+
+	if (!ref)
+		return;
+
 	local->rate_ctrl = NULL;
 	rate_control_put(ref);
 }
diff --git a/net/mac80211/rate.h b/net/mac80211/rate.h
index 2ab5ad9e71c..cb9bd1f65e2 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/rate.h
+++ b/net/mac80211/rate.h
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ static inline void rate_control_rate_init(struct sta_info *sta)
 	void *priv_sta = sta->rate_ctrl_priv;
 	struct ieee80211_supported_band *sband;
 
+	if (!ref)
+		return;
+
 	sband = local->hw.wiphy->bands[local->hw.conf.channel->band];
 
 	ref->ops->rate_init(ref->priv, sband, ista, priv_sta);
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ static inline void rate_control_rate_update(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 	struct ieee80211_sta *ista = &sta->sta;
 	void *priv_sta = sta->rate_ctrl_priv;
 
-	if (ref->ops->rate_update)
+	if (ref && ref->ops->rate_update)
 		ref->ops->rate_update(ref->priv, sband, ista,
 				      priv_sta, changed);
 }
@@ -97,7 +100,7 @@ static inline void rate_control_add_sta_debugfs(struct sta_info *sta)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_MAC80211_DEBUGFS
 	struct rate_control_ref *ref = sta->rate_ctrl;
-	if (sta->debugfs.dir && ref->ops->add_sta_debugfs)
+	if (ref && sta->debugfs.dir && ref->ops->add_sta_debugfs)
 		ref->ops->add_sta_debugfs(ref->priv, sta->rate_ctrl_priv,
 					  sta->debugfs.dir);
 #endif
@@ -107,7 +110,7 @@ static inline void rate_control_remove_sta_debugfs(struct sta_info *sta)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_MAC80211_DEBUGFS
 	struct rate_control_ref *ref = sta->rate_ctrl;
-	if (ref->ops->remove_sta_debugfs)
+	if (ref && ref->ops->remove_sta_debugfs)
 		ref->ops->remove_sta_debugfs(ref->priv, sta->rate_ctrl_priv);
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
index aa017a56afc..71f370dd24b 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
@@ -148,8 +148,10 @@ struct sta_info *sta_info_get_by_idx(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 static void __sta_info_free(struct ieee80211_local *local,
 			    struct sta_info *sta)
 {
-	rate_control_free_sta(sta);
-	rate_control_put(sta->rate_ctrl);
+	if (sta->rate_ctrl) {
+		rate_control_free_sta(sta);
+		rate_control_put(sta->rate_ctrl);
+	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MAC80211_VERBOSE_DEBUG
 	printk(KERN_DEBUG "%s: Destroyed STA %pM\n",
@@ -277,6 +279,23 @@ static void sta_unblock(struct work_struct *wk)
 		ieee80211_sta_ps_deliver_poll_response(sta);
 }
 
+static int sta_prepare_rate_control(struct ieee80211_local *local,
+				    struct sta_info *sta, gfp_t gfp)
+{
+	if (local->hw.flags & IEEE80211_HW_HAS_RATE_CONTROL)
+		return 0;
+
+	sta->rate_ctrl = rate_control_get(local->rate_ctrl);
+	sta->rate_ctrl_priv = rate_control_alloc_sta(sta->rate_ctrl,
+						     &sta->sta, gfp);
+	if (!sta->rate_ctrl_priv) {
+		rate_control_put(sta->rate_ctrl);
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 struct sta_info *sta_info_alloc(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 				u8 *addr, gfp_t gfp)
 {
@@ -296,11 +315,7 @@ struct sta_info *sta_info_alloc(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	sta->local = local;
 	sta->sdata = sdata;
 
-	sta->rate_ctrl = rate_control_get(local->rate_ctrl);
-	sta->rate_ctrl_priv = rate_control_alloc_sta(sta->rate_ctrl,
-						     &sta->sta, gfp);
-	if (!sta->rate_ctrl_priv) {
-		rate_control_put(sta->rate_ctrl);
+	if (sta_prepare_rate_control(local, sta, gfp)) {
 		kfree(sta);
 		return NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/net/mac80211/tx.c b/net/mac80211/tx.c
index 3466e1f7fd1..bd916437e2f 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/tx.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/tx.c
@@ -1219,7 +1219,8 @@ static int invoke_tx_handlers(struct ieee80211_tx_data *tx)
 	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_ps_buf);
 	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_select_key);
 	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_michael_mic_add);
-	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_rate_ctrl);
+	if (!(tx->local->hw.flags & IEEE80211_HW_HAS_RATE_CONTROL))
+		CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_rate_ctrl);
 	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_misc);
 	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_sequence);
 	CALL_TXH(ieee80211_tx_h_fragment);