diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt61pci.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt61pci.c
index 0fcc45636834..23cf93dfda06 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt61pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt61pci.c
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@
 #include "rt2x00pci.h"
 #include "rt61pci.h"
 
+/*
+ * Allow hardware encryption to be disabled.
+ */
+static int modparam_nohwcrypt = 0;
+module_param_named(nohwcrypt, modparam_nohwcrypt, bool, S_IRUGO);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(nohwcrypt, "Disable hardware encryption.");
+
 /*
  * Register access.
  * BBP and RF register require indirect register access,
@@ -2617,7 +2624,8 @@ static int rt61pci_probe_hw(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 	 */
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_FIRMWARE, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_DMA, &rt2x00dev->flags);
-	__set_bit(CONFIG_SUPPORT_HW_CRYPTO, &rt2x00dev->flags);
+	if (!modparam_nohwcrypt)
+		__set_bit(CONFIG_SUPPORT_HW_CRYPTO, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set the rssi offset.
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c
index 4f2eb90aaf07..f58fd059c9a0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@
 #include "rt2x00usb.h"
 #include "rt73usb.h"
 
+/*
+ * Allow hardware encryption to be disabled.
+ */
+static int modparam_nohwcrypt = 0;
+module_param_named(nohwcrypt, modparam_nohwcrypt, bool, S_IRUGO);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(nohwcrypt, "Disable hardware encryption.");
+
 /*
  * Register access.
  * All access to the CSR registers will go through the methods
@@ -2211,7 +2218,8 @@ static int rt73usb_probe_hw(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 	 */
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_FIRMWARE, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 	__set_bit(DRIVER_REQUIRE_SCHEDULED, &rt2x00dev->flags);
-	__set_bit(CONFIG_SUPPORT_HW_CRYPTO, &rt2x00dev->flags);
+	if (!modparam_nohwcrypt)
+		__set_bit(CONFIG_SUPPORT_HW_CRYPTO, &rt2x00dev->flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set the rssi offset.