if (mac->associnfo.bssvalid)
                found = ieee80211softmac_get_network_by_bssid(mac, mac->associnfo.bssid);       
        
-       /* Search the ieee80211 networks for this network if we didn't find it */
-       if (!found)
+       /* Search the ieee80211 networks for this network if we didn't find it by bssid,
+        * but only if we've scanned at least once (to get a better list of networks to
+        * select from). If we have not scanned before, the !found logic below will be
+        * invoked and will scan. */
+       if (!found && (mac->associnfo.scan_retry < IEEE80211SOFTMAC_ASSOC_SCAN_RETRY_LIMIT))
        {
                s8 rssi = -128; /* if I don't initialise, gcc emits an invalid warning
                                   because it cannot follow the best pointer logic. */
                         * NB: this also happens if we had no memory to copy the network info...
                         * Maybe we can hope to have more memory after scanning finishes ;)
                         */
-                       dprintk(KERN_INFO PFX "Associate: Network not known, trying to initiate scan: ");
+                       dprintk(KERN_INFO PFX "Associate: Scanning for networks first.\n");
                        ieee80211softmac_notify(mac->dev, IEEE80211SOFTMAC_EVENT_SCAN_FINISHED, ieee80211softmac_assoc_notify, NULL);
                        if (ieee80211softmac_start_scan(mac))
-                               dprintk("failed.\n");
-                       else
-                               dprintk("ok.\n");
+                               dprintk(KERN_INFO PFX "Associate: failed to initiate scan. Is device up?\n");
                        return;
                }
                else {
                        mac->associated = 0;
                        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&mac->lock, flags);
 
-                       dprintk(KERN_INFO PFX "Unable to find network after scan!\n");
+                       dprintk(KERN_INFO PFX "Unable to find matching network after scan!\n");
                        ieee80211softmac_call_events(mac, IEEE80211SOFTMAC_EVENT_ASSOCIATE_NET_NOT_FOUND, NULL);
                        return;
                }