diff --git a/core/htc/htc.c b/core/htc/htc.c
index 607e825e0b31..967c7c24d028 100644
--- a/core/htc/htc.c
+++ b/core/htc/htc.c
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ void htc_destroy(HTC_HANDLE HTCHandle)
 	HTC_TARGET *target = GET_HTC_TARGET_FROM_HANDLE(HTCHandle);
 	AR_DEBUG_PRINTF(ATH_DEBUG_TRC,
 			("+htc_destroy ..  Destroying :0x%p\n", target));
+	hif_stop(htc_get_hif_device(HTCHandle));
 	if (target)
 		htc_cleanup(target);
 	AR_DEBUG_PRINTF(ATH_DEBUG_TRC, ("-htc_destroy\n"));