diff --git a/mt7996/main.c b/mt7996/main.c
index 70973904..9d3e1097 100644
--- a/mt7996/main.c
+++ b/mt7996/main.c
@@ -1338,12 +1338,10 @@ static void mt7996_tx(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	}
 
 	if (mvif) {
-		struct mt76_vif_link *mlink = &mvif->deflink.mt76;
+		struct mt76_vif_link *mlink;
 
-		if (link_id < IEEE80211_LINK_UNSPECIFIED)
-			mlink = rcu_dereference(mvif->mt76.link[link_id]);
-
-		if (mlink->wcid)
+		mlink = rcu_dereference(mvif->mt76.link[link_id]);
+		if (mlink && mlink->wcid)
 			wcid = mlink->wcid;
 
 		if (mvif->mt76.roc_phy &&
@@ -1351,7 +1349,7 @@ static void mt7996_tx(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 			mphy = mvif->mt76.roc_phy;
 			if (mphy->roc_link)
 				wcid = mphy->roc_link->wcid;
-		} else {
+		} else if (mlink) {
 			mphy = mt76_vif_link_phy(mlink);
 		}
 	}
@@ -1361,7 +1359,7 @@ static void mt7996_tx(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 		goto unlock;
 	}
 
-	if (msta && link_id < IEEE80211_LINK_UNSPECIFIED) {
+	if (msta) {
 		struct mt7996_sta_link *msta_link;
 
 		msta_link = rcu_dereference(msta->link[link_id]);