diff --git a/mt7996/main.c b/mt7996/main.c
index 936bf3c3..1fdfc664 100644
--- a/mt7996/main.c
+++ b/mt7996/main.c
@@ -415,26 +415,26 @@ void mt7996_vif_link_remove(struct mt76_phy *mphy, struct ieee80211_vif *vif,
 
 	rcu_assign_pointer(dev->mt76.wcid[idx], NULL);
 
-	if (!mlink->wcid->offchannel &&
+	if (vif->txq && !mlink->wcid->offchannel &&
 	    mvif->mt76.deflink_id == link_conf->link_id) {
 		struct ieee80211_bss_conf *iter;
+		struct mt76_txq *mtxq;
 		unsigned int link_id;
 
-		/* Primary link will be removed, look for a new one */
 		mvif->mt76.deflink_id = IEEE80211_LINK_UNSPECIFIED;
+		mtxq = (struct mt76_txq *)vif->txq->drv_priv;
+		/* Primary link will be removed, look for a new one */
 		for_each_vif_active_link(vif, iter, link_id) {
 			struct mt7996_vif_link *link;
 
+			if (link_id == link_conf->link_id)
+				continue;
+
 			link = mt7996_vif_link(dev, vif, link_id);
 			if (!link)
 				continue;
 
-			if (vif->txq) {
-				struct mt76_txq *mtxq;
-
-				mtxq = (struct mt76_txq *)vif->txq->drv_priv;
-				mtxq->wcid = link->msta_link.wcid.idx;
-			}
+			mtxq->wcid = link->msta_link.wcid.idx;
 			mvif->mt76.deflink_id = link_id;
 			break;
 		}