diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/bmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/bmi.c
index 5b6db6e66f65..8b9d537c8900 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/bmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/bmi.c
@@ -12,17 +12,9 @@
 
 void ath10k_bmi_start(struct ath10k *ar)
 {
-	int ret;
-
 	ath10k_dbg(ar, ATH10K_DBG_BMI, "bmi start\n");
 
 	ar->bmi.done_sent = false;
-
-	/* Enable hardware clock to speed up firmware download */
-	if (ar->hw_params.hw_ops->enable_pll_clk) {
-		ret = ar->hw_params.hw_ops->enable_pll_clk(ar);
-		ath10k_dbg(ar, ATH10K_DBG_BMI, "bmi enable pll ret %d\n", ret);
-	}
 }
 
 int ath10k_bmi_done(struct ath10k *ar)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
index 2f48086e323b..fe075b384a0b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/core.c
@@ -2615,6 +2615,13 @@ int ath10k_core_start(struct ath10k *ar, enum ath10k_firmware_mode mode,
 		      ar->running_fw->fw_file.fw_features)) {
 		ath10k_bmi_start(ar);
 
+		/* Enable hardware clock to speed up firmware download */
+		if (ar->hw_params.hw_ops->enable_pll_clk) {
+			status = ar->hw_params.hw_ops->enable_pll_clk(ar);
+			ath10k_dbg(ar, ATH10K_DBG_BOOT, "boot enable pll ret %d\n",
+				   status);
+		}
+
 		if (ath10k_init_configure_target(ar)) {
 			status = -EINVAL;
 			goto err;