diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.h b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.h
index bf6d8ef89097c..fa4bbc4095ab9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.h
@@ -3382,6 +3382,7 @@ struct rtw89_chip_info {
 	const char *fw_basename;
 	u8 fw_format_max;
 	bool try_ce_fw;
+	u32 needed_fw_elms;
 	u32 fifo_size;
 	bool small_fifo_size;
 	u32 dle_scc_rsvd_size;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c
index 1ca99dad2ac0a..2811a94b5f69a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c
@@ -635,6 +635,8 @@ int rtw89_fw_recognize_elements(struct rtw89_dev *rtwdev)
 {
 	struct rtw89_fw_info *fw_info = &rtwdev->fw;
 	const struct firmware *firmware = fw_info->req.firmware;
+	const struct rtw89_chip_info *chip = rtwdev->chip;
+	u32 unrecognized_elements = chip->needed_fw_elms;
 	const struct rtw89_fw_element_handler *handler;
 	const struct rtw89_fw_element_hdr *hdr;
 	u32 elm_size;
@@ -642,6 +644,8 @@ int rtw89_fw_recognize_elements(struct rtw89_dev *rtwdev)
 	u32 offset;
 	int ret;
 
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(chip->needed_fw_elms) * 8 < RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ID_NUM);
+
 	offset = rtw89_mfw_get_size(rtwdev);
 	offset = ALIGN(offset, RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ALIGN);
 	if (offset == 0)
@@ -672,11 +676,18 @@ int rtw89_fw_recognize_elements(struct rtw89_dev *rtwdev)
 			rtw89_info(rtwdev, "Firmware element %s version: %4ph\n",
 				   handler->name, hdr->ver);
 
+		unrecognized_elements &= ~BIT(elem_id);
 next:
 		offset += sizeof(*hdr) + elm_size;
 		offset = ALIGN(offset, RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ALIGN);
 	}
 
+	if (unrecognized_elements) {
+		rtw89_err(rtwdev, "Firmware elements 0x%08x are unrecognized\n",
+			  unrecognized_elements);
+		return -ENOENT;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.h b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.h
index cbb130537e07d..775f4e8fbda4d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.h
@@ -3412,6 +3412,8 @@ enum rtw89_fw_element_id {
 	RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ID_RADIO_C = 6,
 	RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ID_RADIO_D = 7,
 	RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ID_RF_NCTL = 8,
+
+	RTW89_FW_ELEMENT_ID_NUM,
 };
 
 struct rtw89_fw_element_hdr {
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8851b.c b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8851b.c
index 456b8369fb068..b5740639e2679 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8851b.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8851b.c
@@ -2339,6 +2339,7 @@ const struct rtw89_chip_info rtw8851b_chip_info = {
 	.fw_basename		= RTW8851B_FW_BASENAME,
 	.fw_format_max		= RTW8851B_FW_FORMAT_MAX,
 	.try_ce_fw		= true,
+	.needed_fw_elms		= 0,
 	.fifo_size		= 196608,
 	.small_fifo_size	= true,
 	.dle_scc_rsvd_size	= 98304,
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852a.c b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852a.c
index 0fc5eb777a4aa..41f05276406d1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852a.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852a.c
@@ -2076,6 +2076,7 @@ const struct rtw89_chip_info rtw8852a_chip_info = {
 	.fw_basename		= RTW8852A_FW_BASENAME,
 	.fw_format_max		= RTW8852A_FW_FORMAT_MAX,
 	.try_ce_fw		= false,
+	.needed_fw_elms		= 0,
 	.fifo_size		= 458752,
 	.small_fifo_size	= false,
 	.dle_scc_rsvd_size	= 0,
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852b.c b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852b.c
index d76d74cc867ad..eb2210cb7e099 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852b.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852b.c
@@ -2508,6 +2508,7 @@ const struct rtw89_chip_info rtw8852b_chip_info = {
 	.fw_basename		= RTW8852B_FW_BASENAME,
 	.fw_format_max		= RTW8852B_FW_FORMAT_MAX,
 	.try_ce_fw		= true,
+	.needed_fw_elms		= 0,
 	.fifo_size		= 196608,
 	.small_fifo_size	= true,
 	.dle_scc_rsvd_size	= 98304,
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852c.c b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852c.c
index f269832b2bc6f..b1af72fbf0857 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852c.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/rtw8852c.c
@@ -2807,6 +2807,7 @@ const struct rtw89_chip_info rtw8852c_chip_info = {
 	.fw_basename		= RTW8852C_FW_BASENAME,
 	.fw_format_max		= RTW8852C_FW_FORMAT_MAX,
 	.try_ce_fw		= false,
+	.needed_fw_elms		= 0,
 	.fifo_size		= 458752,
 	.small_fifo_size	= false,
 	.dle_scc_rsvd_size	= 0,