diff --git a/mt7996/main.c b/mt7996/main.c
index 93ff2914..1420cee5 100644
--- a/mt7996/main.c
+++ b/mt7996/main.c
@@ -1201,15 +1201,9 @@ void mt7996_mac_sta_remove_link(struct mt7996_dev *dev,
 	mt76_wcid_cleanup(&dev->mt76, &msta_link->wcid);
 
 	if (msta_link->wcid.link_valid) {
-		struct mt7996_phy *phy;
-
 		mt7996_mac_wtbl_update(dev, msta_link->wcid.idx,
 				       MT_WTBL_UPDATE_ADM_COUNT_CLEAR);
 
-		phy = __mt7996_phy(dev, msta_link->wcid.phy_idx);
-		if (phy)
-			phy->mt76->num_sta--;
-
 		if (msta->deflink_id == link_id) {
 			msta->deflink_id = IEEE80211_LINK_UNSPECIFIED;
 			if (msta->seclink_id == link_id) {
@@ -1235,6 +1229,12 @@ void mt7996_mac_sta_remove_link(struct mt7996_dev *dev,
 	}
 
 	if (flush) {
+		struct mt7996_phy *phy =
+			__mt7996_phy(dev, msta_link->wcid.phy_idx);
+
+		if (phy)
+			phy->mt76->num_sta--;
+
 		rcu_assign_pointer(msta->link[link_id], NULL);
 		rcu_assign_pointer(dev->mt76.wcid[msta_link->wcid.idx], NULL);
 		mt76_wcid_mask_clear(dev->mt76.wcid_mask, msta_link->wcid.idx);