diff --git a/net/mac80211/mlme.c b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
index 160ae65a5c64..298ebff6bbf8 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/mlme.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/mlme.c
@@ -437,6 +437,15 @@ ieee80211_verify_sta_ht_mcs_support(struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata,
 	memcpy(&sta_ht_cap, &sband->ht_cap, sizeof(sta_ht_cap));
 	ieee80211_apply_htcap_overrides(sdata, &sta_ht_cap);
 
+	/*
+	 * Some Xfinity XB8 firmware advertises >1 spatial stream MCS indexes in
+	 * their basic HT-MCS set. On cards with lower spatial streams, the check
+	 * would fail, and we'd be stuck with no HT when it in fact work fine with
+	 * its own supported rate. So check it only in strict mode.
+	 */
+	if (!ieee80211_hw_check(&sdata->local->hw, STRICT))
+		return true;
+
 	/*
 	 * P802.11REVme/D7.0 - 6.5.4.2.4
 	 * ...