diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/4965-mac.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/4965-mac.c
index f0b7794fca3ec50ed4eab43e0610c3867359c519..f2ed62e373408d3882a3e463af81b88f3a83b7b1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/4965-mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/4965-mac.c
@@ -4460,12 +4460,12 @@ il4965_irq_tasklet(struct il_priv *il)
 		 * is killed. Hence update the killswitch state here. The
 		 * rfkill handler will care about restarting if needed.
 		 */
-		if (!test_bit(S_ALIVE, &il->status)) {
-			if (hw_rf_kill)
-				set_bit(S_RFKILL, &il->status);
-			else
-				clear_bit(S_RFKILL, &il->status);
+		if (hw_rf_kill) {
+			set_bit(S_RFKILL, &il->status);
+		} else {
+			clear_bit(S_RFKILL, &il->status);
 			wiphy_rfkill_set_hw_state(il->hw->wiphy, hw_rf_kill);
+			il_force_reset(il, true);
 		}
 
 		handled |= CSR_INT_BIT_RF_KILL;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/common.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/common.c
index 3195aad440ddf6317b1b9b34d2e2f57e773755c3..b03e22ef5462d929ea20ffad72a4a01ff067c4a4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlegacy/common.c
@@ -4660,6 +4660,7 @@ il_force_reset(struct il_priv *il, bool external)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(il_force_reset);
 
 int
 il_mac_change_interface(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, struct ieee80211_vif *vif,