static int ath9k_hif_usb_download_fw(struct hif_device_usb *hif_dev)
 {
        int transfer, err;
-       const void *data = hif_dev->firmware->data;
-       size_t len = hif_dev->firmware->size;
+       const void *data = hif_dev->fw_data;
+       size_t len = hif_dev->fw_size;
        u32 addr = AR9271_FIRMWARE;
        u8 *buf = kzalloc(4096, GFP_KERNEL);
        u32 firm_offset;
                return -EIO;
 
        dev_info(&hif_dev->udev->dev, "ath9k_htc: Transferred FW: %s, size: %ld\n",
-                hif_dev->fw_name, (unsigned long) hif_dev->firmware->size);
+                hif_dev->fw_name, (unsigned long) hif_dev->fw_size);
 
        return 0;
 }
 
        hif_dev->htc_handle = ath9k_htc_hw_alloc(hif_dev, &hif_usb,
                                                 &hif_dev->udev->dev);
-       if (hif_dev->htc_handle == NULL) {
-               goto err_fw;
-       }
+       if (hif_dev->htc_handle == NULL)
+               goto err_dev_alloc;
 
-       hif_dev->firmware = fw;
+       hif_dev->fw_data = fw->data;
+       hif_dev->fw_size = fw->size;
 
        /* Proceed with initialization */
 
                goto err_htc_hw_init;
        }
 
+       release_firmware(fw);
+       hif_dev->flags |= HIF_USB_READY;
        complete(&hif_dev->fw_done);
 
        return;
        ath9k_hif_usb_dev_deinit(hif_dev);
 err_dev_init:
        ath9k_htc_hw_free(hif_dev->htc_handle);
+err_dev_alloc:
        release_firmware(fw);
-       hif_dev->firmware = NULL;
 err_fw:
        ath9k_hif_usb_firmware_fail(hif_dev);
 }
 
        wait_for_completion(&hif_dev->fw_done);
 
-       if (hif_dev->firmware) {
+       if (hif_dev->flags & HIF_USB_READY) {
                ath9k_htc_hw_deinit(hif_dev->htc_handle, unplugged);
                ath9k_htc_hw_free(hif_dev->htc_handle);
                ath9k_hif_usb_dev_deinit(hif_dev);
-               release_firmware(hif_dev->firmware);
        }
 
        usb_set_intfdata(interface, NULL);
        struct hif_device_usb *hif_dev = usb_get_intfdata(interface);
        struct htc_target *htc_handle = hif_dev->htc_handle;
        int ret;
+       const struct firmware *fw;
 
        ret = ath9k_hif_usb_alloc_urbs(hif_dev);
        if (ret)
                return ret;
 
-       if (hif_dev->firmware) {
+       if (hif_dev->flags & HIF_USB_READY) {
+               /* request cached firmware during suspend/resume cycle */
+               ret = request_firmware(&fw, hif_dev->fw_name,
+                                      &hif_dev->udev->dev);
+               if (ret)
+                       goto fail_resume;
+
+               hif_dev->fw_data = fw->data;
+               hif_dev->fw_size = fw->size;
                ret = ath9k_hif_usb_download_fw(hif_dev);
+               release_firmware(fw);
                if (ret)
                        goto fail_resume;
        } else {