diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
index 651a6da8adf5..eadb22519912 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
@@ -977,7 +977,7 @@ static void ath10k_core_register_work(struct work_struct *work)
 		goto err_release_fw;
 	}
 
-	status = ath10k_debug_create(ar);
+	status = ath10k_debug_register(ar);
 	if (status) {
 		ath10k_err(ar, "unable to initialize debugfs\n");
 		goto err_unregister_mac;
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@ void ath10k_core_unregister(struct ath10k *ar)
 
 	ath10k_core_free_firmware_files(ar);
 
-	ath10k_debug_destroy(ar);
+	ath10k_debug_unregister(ar);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ath10k_core_unregister);
 
@@ -1051,6 +1051,7 @@ struct ath10k *ath10k_core_create(size_t priv_size, struct device *dev,
 				  const struct ath10k_hif_ops *hif_ops)
 {
 	struct ath10k *ar;
+	int ret;
 
 	ar = ath10k_mac_create(priv_size);
 	if (!ar)
@@ -1076,7 +1077,7 @@ struct ath10k *ath10k_core_create(size_t priv_size, struct device *dev,
 
 	ar->workqueue = create_singlethread_workqueue("ath10k_wq");
 	if (!ar->workqueue)
-		goto err_wq;
+		goto err_free_mac;
 
 	mutex_init(&ar->conf_mutex);
 	spin_lock_init(&ar->data_lock);
@@ -1094,10 +1095,18 @@ struct ath10k *ath10k_core_create(size_t priv_size, struct device *dev,
 	INIT_WORK(&ar->register_work, ath10k_core_register_work);
 	INIT_WORK(&ar->restart_work, ath10k_core_restart);
 
+	ret = ath10k_debug_create(ar);
+	if (ret)
+		goto err_free_wq;
+
 	return ar;
 
-err_wq:
+err_free_wq:
+	destroy_workqueue(ar->workqueue);
+
+err_free_mac:
 	ath10k_mac_destroy(ar);
+
 	return NULL;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ath10k_core_create);
@@ -1107,6 +1116,7 @@ void ath10k_core_destroy(struct ath10k *ar)
 	flush_workqueue(ar->workqueue);
 	destroy_workqueue(ar->workqueue);
 
+	ath10k_debug_destroy(ar);
 	ath10k_mac_destroy(ar);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ath10k_core_destroy);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.c
index d922ef457498..966784ad7ce4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.c
@@ -1132,20 +1132,25 @@ static const struct file_operations fops_dfs_stats = {
 
 int ath10k_debug_create(struct ath10k *ar)
 {
-	int ret;
-
 	ar->debug.fw_crash_data = vzalloc(sizeof(*ar->debug.fw_crash_data));
-	if (!ar->debug.fw_crash_data) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err;
-	}
+	if (!ar->debug.fw_crash_data)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void ath10k_debug_destroy(struct ath10k *ar)
+{
+	vfree(ar->debug.fw_crash_data);
+	ar->debug.fw_crash_data = NULL;
+}
+
+int ath10k_debug_register(struct ath10k *ar)
+{
 	ar->debug.debugfs_phy = debugfs_create_dir("ath10k",
 						   ar->hw->wiphy->debugfsdir);
-	if (!ar->debug.debugfs_phy) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err_free_fw_crash_data;
-	}
+	if (!ar->debug.debugfs_phy)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&ar->debug.htt_stats_dwork,
 			  ath10k_debug_htt_stats_dwork);
@@ -1192,17 +1197,10 @@ int ath10k_debug_create(struct ath10k *ar)
 	}
 
 	return 0;
-
-err_free_fw_crash_data:
-	vfree(ar->debug.fw_crash_data);
-
-err:
-	return ret;
 }
 
-void ath10k_debug_destroy(struct ath10k *ar)
+void ath10k_debug_unregister(struct ath10k *ar)
 {
-	vfree(ar->debug.fw_crash_data);
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&ar->debug.htt_stats_dwork);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.h
index 56746539bea2..71c80842eea7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/debug.h
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ int ath10k_debug_start(struct ath10k *ar);
 void ath10k_debug_stop(struct ath10k *ar);
 int ath10k_debug_create(struct ath10k *ar);
 void ath10k_debug_destroy(struct ath10k *ar);
+int ath10k_debug_register(struct ath10k *ar);
+void ath10k_debug_unregister(struct ath10k *ar);
 void ath10k_debug_read_service_map(struct ath10k *ar,
 				   void *service_map,
 				   size_t map_size);
@@ -80,6 +82,15 @@ static inline void ath10k_debug_destroy(struct ath10k *ar)
 {
 }
 
+static inline int ath10k_debug_register(struct ath10k *ar)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void ath10k_debug_unregister(struct ath10k *ar)
+{
+}
+
 static inline void ath10k_debug_read_service_map(struct ath10k *ar,
 						 void *service_map,
 						 size_t map_size)