diff --git a/include/net/mac80211.h b/include/net/mac80211.h
index 27ef9f761ac..740c11ca066 100644
--- a/include/net/mac80211.h
+++ b/include/net/mac80211.h
@@ -621,11 +621,14 @@ enum ieee80211_key_alg {
  * @IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_GENERATE_MMIC: This flag should be set by
  *	the driver for a TKIP key if it requires Michael MIC
  *	generation in software.
+ * @IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_PAIRWISE: Set by mac80211, this flag indicates
+ *	that the key is pairwise rather then a shared key.
  */
 enum ieee80211_key_flags {
 	IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_WMM_STA	= 1<<0,
 	IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_GENERATE_IV	= 1<<1,
 	IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_GENERATE_MMIC= 1<<2,
+	IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_PAIRWISE	= 1<<3,
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/net/mac80211/key.c b/net/mac80211/key.c
index 150d66dbda9..88b211af7c1 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/key.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/key.c
@@ -323,6 +323,13 @@ void ieee80211_key_link(struct ieee80211_key *key,
 		 */
 		if (sta->flags & WLAN_STA_WME)
 			key->conf.flags |= IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_WMM_STA;
+
+		/*
+		 * This key is for a specific sta interface,
+		 * inform the driver that it should try to store
+		 * this key as pairwise key.
+		 */
+		key->conf.flags |= IEEE80211_KEY_FLAG_PAIRWISE;
 	} else {
 		if (sdata->vif.type == IEEE80211_IF_TYPE_STA) {
 			struct sta_info *ap;