diff --git a/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh b/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh
index 2fd839a283..8b4751ef73 100755
--- a/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh
+++ b/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ EOF
 detect_atheros() {
 	cd /proc/sys/dev
 	[ -d ath ] || return
-	for dev in wifi*; do
+	for dev in $(ls wifi* 2>&-); do
 		config_get type "$dev" type
 		[ "$type" = atheros ] && return
 		cat <<EOF