diff --git a/include/net/cfg80211.h b/include/net/cfg80211.h
index eb73b5af5d04..5c7d091b3925 100644
--- a/include/net/cfg80211.h
+++ b/include/net/cfg80211.h
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ struct cfg80211_mbssid_elems {
 	struct {
 		const u8 *data;
 		size_t len;
-	} elem[];
+	} elem[] __counted_by(cnt);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/net/wireless/nl80211.c b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
index 80633e815311..9ba4266368db 100644
--- a/net/wireless/nl80211.c
+++ b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
@@ -5438,13 +5438,13 @@ nl80211_parse_mbssid_elems(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct nlattr *attrs)
 	elems = kzalloc(struct_size(elems, elem, num_elems), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!elems)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
+	elems->cnt = num_elems;
 
 	nla_for_each_nested(nl_elems, attrs, rem_elems) {
 		elems->elem[i].data = nla_data(nl_elems);
 		elems->elem[i].len = nla_len(nl_elems);
 		i++;
 	}
-	elems->cnt = num_elems;
 	return elems;
 }