diff --git a/include/net/mac80211.h b/include/net/mac80211.h
index 9d67fdf1c26a..ffcbd12775a4 100644
--- a/include/net/mac80211.h
+++ b/include/net/mac80211.h
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@ enum ieee80211_conf_changed {
  * @listen_interval: listen interval in units of beacon interval
  * @flags: configuration flags defined above
  * @power_level: requested transmit power (in dBm)
+ * @user_power_level: User configured transmit power (in dBm)
  * @channel: the channel to tune to
  * @ht: the HT configuration for the device
  * @long_frame_max_tx_count: Maximum number of transmissions for a "long" frame
@@ -559,6 +560,7 @@ struct ieee80211_conf {
 	int beacon_int;
 	u32 flags;
 	int power_level;
+	int user_power_level;
 
 	u16 listen_interval;
 	bool radio_enabled;
diff --git a/net/mac80211/main.c b/net/mac80211/main.c
index a6cb480dda0d..dca4b7da6cad 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/main.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/main.c
@@ -214,10 +214,10 @@ int ieee80211_hw_config(struct ieee80211_local *local, u32 changed)
 		changed |= IEEE80211_CONF_CHANGE_CHANNEL;
 	}
 
-	if (!local->hw.conf.power_level)
+	if (!local->hw.conf.user_power_level)
 		power = chan->max_power;
 	else
-		power = min(chan->max_power, local->hw.conf.power_level);
+		power = min(chan->max_power, local->hw.conf.user_power_level);
 	if (local->hw.conf.power_level != power) {
 		changed |= IEEE80211_CONF_CHANGE_POWER;
 		local->hw.conf.power_level = power;
diff --git a/net/mac80211/wext.c b/net/mac80211/wext.c
index 48fc6b9a62a4..654041b93736 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/wext.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/wext.c
@@ -549,10 +549,9 @@ static int ieee80211_ioctl_siwtxpower(struct net_device *dev,
 	else /* Automatic power level setting */
 		new_power_level = chan->max_power;
 
-	if (local->hw.conf.power_level != new_power_level) {
-		local->hw.conf.power_level = new_power_level;
+	local->hw.conf.user_power_level = new_power_level;
+	if (local->hw.conf.power_level != new_power_level)
 		reconf_flags |= IEEE80211_CONF_CHANGE_POWER;
-	}
 
 	if (local->hw.conf.radio_enabled != !(data->txpower.disabled)) {
 		local->hw.conf.radio_enabled = !(data->txpower.disabled);