--- a/ibss.c
+++ b/ibss.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ static int join_ibss(struct nl80211_stat
 	char *value = NULL, *sptr = NULL;
 	float rate;
 	int bintval;
+	unsigned int htval;
 
 	if (argc < 2)
 		return 1;
@@ -44,6 +45,12 @@ static int join_ibss(struct nl80211_stat
 	argv++;
 	argc--;
 
+	if (argc && parse_channel_type(argv[0], &htval)) {
+		NLA_PUT_U32(msg, NL80211_ATTR_WIPHY_CHANNEL_TYPE, htval);
+		argv++;
+		argc--;
+	}
+
 	if (argc && strcmp(argv[0], "fixed-freq") == 0) {
 		NLA_PUT_FLAG(msg, NL80211_ATTR_FREQ_FIXED);
 		argv++;
@@ -134,7 +141,7 @@ COMMAND(ibss, leave, NULL,
 	NL80211_CMD_LEAVE_IBSS, 0, CIB_NETDEV, leave_ibss,
 	"Leave the current IBSS cell.");
 COMMAND(ibss, join,
-	"<SSID> <freq in MHz> [fixed-freq] [<fixed bssid>] [beacon-interval <TU>]"
+	"<SSID> <freq in MHz> [HT20|HT40+|HT40-] [fixed-freq] [<fixed bssid>] [beacon-interval <TU>]"
 	" [basic-rates <rate in Mbps,rate2,...>] [mcast-rate <rate in Mbps>] "
 	"[key d:0:abcde]",
 	NL80211_CMD_JOIN_IBSS, 0, CIB_NETDEV, join_ibss,
--- a/iw.h
+++ b/iw.h
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ void mac_addr_n2a(char *mac_addr, unsign
 unsigned char *parse_hex(char *hex, size_t *outlen);
 
 int parse_keys(struct nl_msg *msg, char **argv, int argc);
+int parse_channel_type(const char *str, unsigned int *htval);
 
 void print_ht_mcs(const __u8 *mcs);
 void print_ampdu_length(__u8 exponent);
--- a/phy.c
+++ b/phy.c
@@ -33,30 +33,14 @@ static int handle_freqchan(struct nl_msg
 			   int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	char *end;
-	static const struct {
-		const char *name;
-		unsigned int val;
-	} htmap[] = {
-		{ .name = "HT20", .val = NL80211_CHAN_HT20, },
-		{ .name = "HT40+", .val = NL80211_CHAN_HT40PLUS, },
-		{ .name = "HT40-", .val = NL80211_CHAN_HT40MINUS, },
-	};
 	unsigned int htval = NL80211_CHAN_NO_HT;
 	unsigned int freq;
-	int i;
 
 	if (!argc || argc > 2)
 		return 1;
 
-	if (argc == 2) {
-		for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(htmap); i++) {
-			if (strcasecmp(htmap[i].name, argv[1]) == 0) {
-				htval = htmap[i].val;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-		if (htval == NL80211_CHAN_NO_HT)
-			return 1;
+	if (argc == 2 && !parse_channel_type(argv[1], &htval)) {
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	if (!*argv[0])
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -345,6 +345,33 @@ int parse_keys(struct nl_msg *msg, char 
 	return 2;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Convert a string "HT20", "HT40+" or "HT40-" into nl80211
+ * value. Conversion is case insensitive. Returns 1 on success, 0 on error.
+ */
+
+int parse_channel_type(const char *str, unsigned int *htval)
+{
+	static const struct {
+		const char *name;
+		unsigned int val;
+	} htmap[] = {
+		{ .name = "HT20", .val = NL80211_CHAN_HT20, },
+		{ .name = "HT40+", .val = NL80211_CHAN_HT40PLUS, },
+		{ .name = "HT40-", .val = NL80211_CHAN_HT40MINUS, },
+	};
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(htmap); i++) {
+		if (strcasecmp(htmap[i].name, str) == 0) {
+			*htval = htmap[i].val;
+			return 1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static void print_mcs_index(const __u8 *mcs)
 {
 	unsigned int mcs_bit, prev_bit = -2, prev_cont = 0;
