diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c
index a821bb687b3b..a6893cf0c43b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/xmit.c
@@ -1498,26 +1498,6 @@ static void ath_buf_set_rate(struct ath_softc *sc, struct ath_buf *bf)
 	if (sc->sc_flags & SC_OP_PREAMBLE_SHORT)
 		ctsrate |= rate->hw_value_short;
 
-	/*
-	 * ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA and ATH9K_TXDESC_CTSENA are mutually exclusive.
-	 * Check the first rate in the series to decide whether RTS/CTS
-	 * or CTS-to-self has to be used.
-	 */
-	if (rates[0].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_USE_CTS_PROTECT)
-		flags = ATH9K_TXDESC_CTSENA;
-	else if (rates[0].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_USE_RTS_CTS)
-		flags = ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA;
-
-	/* FIXME: Handle aggregation protection */
-	if (sc->config.ath_aggr_prot &&
-	    (!bf_isaggr(bf) || (bf_isaggr(bf) && bf->bf_al < 8192))) {
-		flags = ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA;
-	}
-
-	/* For AR5416 - RTS cannot be followed by a frame larger than 8K */
-	if (bf_isaggr(bf) && (bf->bf_al > sc->sc_ah->caps.rts_aggr_limit))
-		flags &= ~(ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA);
-
 	for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
 		bool is_40, is_sgi, is_sp;
 		int phy;
@@ -1529,8 +1509,15 @@ static void ath_buf_set_rate(struct ath_softc *sc, struct ath_buf *bf)
 		series[i].Tries = rates[i].count;
 		series[i].ChSel = common->tx_chainmask;
 
-		if (rates[i].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_USE_RTS_CTS)
+		if ((sc->config.ath_aggr_prot && bf_isaggr(bf)) ||
+		    (rates[i].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_USE_RTS_CTS)) {
 			series[i].RateFlags |= ATH9K_RATESERIES_RTS_CTS;
+			flags |= ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA;
+		} else if (rates[i].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_USE_CTS_PROTECT) {
+			series[i].RateFlags |= ATH9K_RATESERIES_RTS_CTS;
+			flags |= ATH9K_TXDESC_CTSENA;
+		}
+
 		if (rates[i].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_40_MHZ_WIDTH)
 			series[i].RateFlags |= ATH9K_RATESERIES_2040;
 		if (rates[i].flags & IEEE80211_TX_RC_SHORT_GI)
@@ -1568,6 +1555,14 @@ static void ath_buf_set_rate(struct ath_softc *sc, struct ath_buf *bf)
 			phy, rate->bitrate * 100, bf->bf_frmlen, rix, is_sp);
 	}
 
+	/* For AR5416 - RTS cannot be followed by a frame larger than 8K */
+	if (bf_isaggr(bf) && (bf->bf_al > sc->sc_ah->caps.rts_aggr_limit))
+		flags &= ~ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA;
+
+	/* ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA and ATH9K_TXDESC_CTSENA are mutually exclusive. */
+	if (flags & ATH9K_TXDESC_RTSENA)
+		flags &= ~ATH9K_TXDESC_CTSENA;
+
 	/* set dur_update_en for l-sig computation except for PS-Poll frames */
 	ath9k_hw_set11n_ratescenario(sc->sc_ah, bf->bf_desc,
 				     bf->bf_lastbf->bf_desc,