diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c
index ae3b31d..b544314 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.c
@@ -924,21 +924,27 @@
 	qual->false_cca = rt2x00_get_field32(reg, STA_CSR1_FALSE_CCA_ERROR);
 }
 
+static inline void rt73usb_set_vgc(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev, u8 vgc_level)
+{
+	if (rt2x00dev->link.vgc_level != vgc_level) {
+		rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, vgc_level);
+		rt2x00dev->link.vgc_level = vgc_level;
+		rt2x00dev->link.vgc_level_reg = vgc_level;
+	}
+}
+
 static void rt73usb_reset_tuner(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 {
-	rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, 0x20);
-	rt2x00dev->link.vgc_level = 0x20;
+	rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev, 0x20);
 }
 
 static void rt73usb_link_tuner(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 {
-	int rssi = rt2x00_get_link_rssi(&rt2x00dev->link);
-	u8 r17;
+	struct link *link = &rt2x00dev->link;
+	int rssi = rt2x00_get_link_rssi(link);
 	u8 up_bound;
 	u8 low_bound;
 
-	rt73usb_bbp_read(rt2x00dev, 17, &r17);
-
 	/*
 	 * Determine r17 bounds.
 	 */
@@ -979,8 +985,7 @@
 	 * Special big-R17 for very short distance
 	 */
 	if (rssi > -35) {
-		if (r17 != 0x60)
-			rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, 0x60);
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev, 0x60);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -988,8 +993,7 @@
 	 * Special big-R17 for short distance
 	 */
 	if (rssi >= -58) {
-		if (r17 != up_bound)
-			rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, up_bound);
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev, up_bound);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -997,9 +1001,7 @@
 	 * Special big-R17 for middle-short distance
 	 */
 	if (rssi >= -66) {
-		low_bound += 0x10;
-		if (r17 != low_bound)
-			rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, low_bound);
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev, low_bound + 0x10);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1007,8 +1009,7 @@
 	 * Special mid-R17 for middle distance
 	 */
 	if (rssi >= -74) {
-		if (r17 != (low_bound + 0x10))
-			rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, low_bound + 0x08);
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev, low_bound + 0x08);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1020,8 +1021,8 @@
 	if (low_bound > up_bound)
 		up_bound = low_bound;
 
-	if (r17 > up_bound) {
-		rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, up_bound);
+	if (link->vgc_level > up_bound) {
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev, up_bound);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1031,17 +1032,12 @@
 	 * r17 does not yet exceed upper limit, continue and base
 	 * the r17 tuning on the false CCA count.
 	 */
-	if (rt2x00dev->link.qual.false_cca > 512 && r17 < up_bound) {
-		r17 += 4;
-		if (r17 > up_bound)
-			r17 = up_bound;
-		rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, r17);
-	} else if (rt2x00dev->link.qual.false_cca < 100 && r17 > low_bound) {
-		r17 -= 4;
-		if (r17 < low_bound)
-			r17 = low_bound;
-		rt73usb_bbp_write(rt2x00dev, 17, r17);
-	}
+	if ((link->qual.false_cca > 512) && (link->vgc_level < up_bound))
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev,
+				min_t(u8, link->vgc_level + 4, up_bound));
+	else if ((link->qual.false_cca < 100) && (link->vgc_level > low_bound))
+		rt73usb_set_vgc(rt2x00dev,
+				max_t(u8, link->vgc_level - 4, low_bound));
 }
 
 /*