diff --git a/sys/dev/netif/ath/ath_hal/ar5210/ar5210_attach.c b/sys/dev/netif/ath/ath_hal/ar5210/ar5210_attach.c
--- a/sys/dev/netif/ath/ath_hal/ar5210/ar5210_attach.c
+++ b/sys/dev/netif/ath/ath_hal/ar5210/ar5210_attach.c
@@ -288,8 +288,10 @@
 eebad:
 	OS_REG_WRITE(ah, AR_PCICFG, pcicfg);	/* disable EEPROM access */
 bad:
-	if (ahp)
+	if (ahp) {
+		ath_hal_eepromDetach(ah);
 		ath_hal_free(ahp);
+	}
 	if (status)
 		*status = ecode;
 	return AH_NULL;