diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/cfg80211.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/cfg80211.c
index b3bf2cd150b7..7be1e9b83fd0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/cfg80211.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/cfg80211.c
@@ -1786,6 +1786,7 @@ mwifiex_cfg80211_connect(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 			 struct cfg80211_connect_params *sme)
 {
 	struct mwifiex_private *priv = mwifiex_netdev_get_priv(dev);
+	struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter = priv->adapter;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (GET_BSS_ROLE(priv) != MWIFIEX_BSS_ROLE_STA) {
@@ -1800,6 +1801,13 @@ mwifiex_cfg80211_connect(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 		return -EALREADY;
 	}
 
+	if (adapter->surprise_removed || adapter->is_cmd_timedout) {
+		wiphy_err(wiphy,
+			  "%s: Ignore connection. Card removed or FW in bad state\n",
+			  dev->name);
+		return -EFAULT;
+	}
+
 	wiphy_dbg(wiphy, "info: Trying to associate to %s and bssid %pM\n",
 		  (char *) sme->ssid, sme->bssid);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/scan.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/scan.c
index 984a7a4fa93b..e304f0731647 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/scan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/scan.c
@@ -1429,6 +1429,12 @@ int mwifiex_scan_networks(struct mwifiex_private *priv,
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
+	if (adapter->surprise_removed || adapter->is_cmd_timedout) {
+		dev_err(adapter->dev,
+			"Ignore scan. Card removed or firmware in bad state\n");
+		return -EFAULT;
+	}
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&adapter->mwifiex_cmd_lock, flags);
 	adapter->scan_processing = true;
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&adapter->mwifiex_cmd_lock, flags);