diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/fw.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/fw.c
index ec93af362cfc..9c1dce0d5979 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/fw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/fw.c
@@ -339,6 +339,10 @@ int iwl_mld_load_fw(struct iwl_mld *mld)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	ret = iwl_mld_init_mcc(mld);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	mld->fw_status.running = true;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -481,10 +485,6 @@ static int iwl_mld_config_fw(struct iwl_mld *mld)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	ret = iwl_mld_init_mcc(mld);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
 	if (mld->fw_status.in_hw_restart) {
 		iwl_mld_send_recovery_cmd(mld, ERROR_RECOVERY_UPDATE_DB);
 		iwl_mld_time_sync_fw_config(mld);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mac80211.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mac80211.c
index b01a41f9b013..27ef41d69479 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mac80211.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mac80211.c
@@ -164,14 +164,6 @@ static void iwl_mld_hw_set_security(struct iwl_mld *mld)
 			      NL80211_EXT_FEATURE_BEACON_PROTECTION);
 }
 
-static void iwl_mld_hw_set_regulatory(struct iwl_mld *mld)
-{
-	struct wiphy *wiphy = mld->wiphy;
-
-	wiphy->regulatory_flags |= REGULATORY_WIPHY_SELF_MANAGED;
-	wiphy->regulatory_flags |= REGULATORY_ENABLE_RELAX_NO_IR;
-}
-
 static void iwl_mld_hw_set_antennas(struct iwl_mld *mld)
 {
 	struct wiphy *wiphy = mld->wiphy;
@@ -415,7 +407,6 @@ int iwl_mld_register_hw(struct iwl_mld *mld)
 	iwl_mld_hw_set_addresses(mld);
 	iwl_mld_hw_set_channels(mld);
 	iwl_mld_hw_set_security(mld);
-	iwl_mld_hw_set_regulatory(mld);
 	iwl_mld_hw_set_pm(mld);
 	iwl_mld_hw_set_antennas(mld);
 	iwl_mac_hw_set_radiotap(mld);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mld.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mld.c
index adc3d23aa019..d4a99ae64074 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mld.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mld/mld.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (C) 2024-2025 Intel Corporation
  */
-
+#include <linux/rtnetlink.h>
 #include <net/mac80211.h>
 
 #include "fw/api/rx.h"
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@ static void __exit iwl_mld_exit(void)
 }
 module_exit(iwl_mld_exit);
 
+static void iwl_mld_hw_set_regulatory(struct iwl_mld *mld)
+{
+	struct wiphy *wiphy = mld->wiphy;
+
+	wiphy->regulatory_flags |= REGULATORY_WIPHY_SELF_MANAGED;
+	wiphy->regulatory_flags |= REGULATORY_ENABLE_RELAX_NO_IR;
+}
+
 VISIBLE_IF_IWLWIFI_KUNIT
 void iwl_construct_mld(struct iwl_mld *mld, struct iwl_trans *trans,
 		       const struct iwl_cfg *cfg, const struct iwl_fw *fw,
@@ -67,7 +75,6 @@ void iwl_construct_mld(struct iwl_mld *mld, struct iwl_trans *trans,
 
 	/* Setup async RX handling */
 	spin_lock_init(&mld->async_handlers_lock);
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&mld->async_handlers_list);
 	wiphy_work_init(&mld->async_handlers_wk,
 			iwl_mld_async_handlers_wk);
 
@@ -387,9 +394,13 @@ iwl_op_mode_mld_start(struct iwl_trans *trans, const struct iwl_cfg *cfg,
 	iwl_bios_setup_step(trans, &mld->fwrt);
 	mld->bios_enable_puncturing = iwl_uefi_get_puncturing(&mld->fwrt);
 
+	iwl_mld_hw_set_regulatory(mld);
+
 	/* Configure transport layer with the opmode specific params */
 	iwl_mld_configure_trans(op_mode);
 
+	/* needed for regulatory init */
+	rtnl_lock();
 	/* Needed for sending commands */
 	wiphy_lock(mld->wiphy);
 
@@ -401,6 +412,7 @@ iwl_op_mode_mld_start(struct iwl_trans *trans, const struct iwl_cfg *cfg,
 
 	if (ret) {
 		wiphy_unlock(mld->wiphy);
+		rtnl_unlock();
 		iwl_fw_flush_dumps(&mld->fwrt);
 		goto free_hw;
 	}
@@ -408,6 +420,7 @@ iwl_op_mode_mld_start(struct iwl_trans *trans, const struct iwl_cfg *cfg,
 	iwl_mld_stop_fw(mld);
 
 	wiphy_unlock(mld->wiphy);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 
 	ret = iwl_mld_leds_init(mld);
 	if (ret)