diff --git a/net/wireless/reg.c b/net/wireless/reg.c
index aec54df6196d2..f6cc5b40f2e78 100644
--- a/net/wireless/reg.c
+++ b/net/wireless/reg.c
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ static void handle_channel(struct wiphy *wiphy,
 			return;
 
 		REG_DBG_PRINT("Disabling freq %d MHz\n", chan->center_freq);
-		chan->flags = IEEE80211_CHAN_DISABLED;
+		chan->flags |= IEEE80211_CHAN_DISABLED;
 		return;
 	}