diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.c
index 49f7e70bc362..b3876dec52af 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.c
@@ -92,3 +92,10 @@ int iwl_drv_start(struct iwl_shared *shrd,
 	return ret;
 }
 
+void iwl_drv_stop(struct iwl_shared *shrd)
+{
+	iwl_remove(shrd->priv);
+
+	kfree(shrd->nic);
+}
+
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.h b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.h
index c40545199224..90534a23ddc8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-drv.h
@@ -107,4 +107,17 @@
 int iwl_drv_start(struct iwl_shared *shrd,
 		  struct iwl_trans *trans, struct iwl_cfg *cfg);
 
+/**
+ * iwl_drv_stop - stop the drv
+ *
+ * @shrd: the shrd area
+ *
+ * TODO: review the parameters given to this function
+ *
+ * Stop the driver. This should be called by bus specific system flows
+ * implementations. For example, the bus specific remove function should first
+ * call this function and then do the bus related operations only.
+ */
+void iwl_drv_stop(struct iwl_shared *shrd);
+
 #endif /* __iwl_drv_h__ */
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-pci.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-pci.c
index e2695445dfac..b9cdd1ac1744 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-pci.c
@@ -321,12 +321,11 @@ static void __devexit iwl_pci_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	struct iwl_bus *bus = pci_get_drvdata(pdev);
 	struct iwl_shared *shrd = bus->shrd;
 
-	iwl_remove(shrd->priv);
+	iwl_drv_stop(shrd);
 	iwl_trans_free(shrd->trans);
 
 	pci_set_drvdata(pdev, NULL);
 
-	kfree(bus->shrd->nic);
 	kfree(bus->shrd);
 	kfree(bus);
 }