diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/orinoco/cfg.c b/drivers/net/wireless/orinoco/cfg.c
index 09fae2f0ea08..736bbb9bd1d0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/orinoco/cfg.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/orinoco/cfg.c
@@ -153,6 +153,9 @@ static int orinoco_scan(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 	priv->scan_request = request;
 
 	err = orinoco_hw_trigger_scan(priv, request->ssids);
+	/* On error the we aren't processing the request */
+	if (err)
+		priv->scan_request = NULL;
 
 	return err;
 }