diff --git a/sys/src/9/pc/wifi.c b/sys/src/9/pc/wifi.c
index 616113e82..5dcc0898a 100644
--- a/sys/src/9/pc/wifi.c
+++ b/sys/src/9/pc/wifi.c
@@ -766,7 +766,6 @@ wifictl(Wifi *wifi, void *buf, long n)
 	Cmdtab *ct;
 	Wnode *wn;
 	Wkey *k;
-	int i;
 
 	cb = nil;
 	if(waserror()){
@@ -818,16 +817,6 @@ wifictl(Wifi *wifi, void *buf, long n)
 				setstatus(wifi, wn, Sconn);
 				sendauth(wifi, wn);
 			}
-		/* wait 3 seconds for authentication response */
-		for(i=0; i < 30; i++){
-			if(wifi->bss != nil)
-				goto done;
-			if(!waserror()){
-				tsleep(&up->sleep, return0, 0, 100);
-				poperror();
-			}
-		}
-		error("connect timeout");
 		break;
 	case CMbssid:
 		memmove(wifi->bssid, addr, Eaddrlen);
@@ -859,7 +848,6 @@ wifictl(Wifi *wifi, void *buf, long n)
 			setstatus(wifi, wn, Sassoc);
 		break;
 	}
-done:
 	poperror();
 	free(cb);
 	return n;
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/aux/wpa.c b/sys/src/cmd/aux/wpa.c
index 85cd9577c..61f765146 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/aux/wpa.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/aux/wpa.c
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	char addr[128];
 	uchar *rsne;
 	int rsnelen;
-	int n;
+	int n, try;
 
 	quotefmtinstall();
 	fmtinstall('H', Hfmt);
@@ -617,11 +617,14 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		fprint(2, "rsne: %.*H\n", rsnelen, rsne);
 
 	/*
-	 * we use write() instead of fprint so message gets  written
-	 * at once and not chunked up on fprint buffer.
+	 * we use write() instead of fprint so the message gets written
+	 * at once and not chunked up on fprint buffer. bss scan might
+	 * not be complete yet, so retry for 10 seconds.
 	 */
 	n = sprint((char*)buf, "auth %.*H", rsnelen, rsne);
-	if(write(cfd, buf, n) != n)
+	for(try = 10; try >= 0 && write(cfd, buf, n) != n; try--)
+		sleep(1000);
+	if(try < 0)
 		sysfatal("write auth: %r");
 
 	if(!debug){