diff --git a/curses/prefs_curses.py b/curses/prefs_curses.py
index d843705..a88ceb8 100644
--- a/curses/prefs_curses.py
+++ b/curses/prefs_curses.py
@@ -294,9 +294,7 @@ class PrefsDialog(urwid.WidgetWrap):
 
         ### Advanced settings
         # wpa_supplicant janx
-        self.wpadrivers = ["wext", "hostap", "madwifi", "atmel",
-                           "ndiswrapper", "ipw"]
-        self.wpadrivers = wireless.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(self.wpadrivers)
+        self.wpadrivers = wireless.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers()
         self.wpadrivers.append("ralink_legacy")
         # Same as above with the dbus.String
         self.thedrivers = [unicode(w) for w in self.wpadrivers]
diff --git a/wicd/backends/be-external.py b/wicd/backends/be-external.py
index 13f9303..640a804 100644
--- a/wicd/backends/be-external.py
+++ b/wicd/backends/be-external.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class WirelessInterface() -- Control a wireless network interface.
 
 from wicd.wnettools import GetDefaultGateway, GetWiredInterfaces, \
 GetWirelessInterfaces, IsValidWpaSuppDriver, BaseWirelessInterface, \
-BaseWiredInterface, BaseInterface
+BaseWiredInterface, BaseInterface, GetWpaSupplicantDrivers
 
 NAME = "external"
 UPDATE_INTERVAL = 5
diff --git a/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py b/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py
index a51db1b..d4f00bc 100644
--- a/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py
+++ b/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ from wicd import misc
 from wicd import wpath
 from wicd.wnettools import GetDefaultGateway, GetWiredInterfaces, \
 GetWirelessInterfaces, IsValidWpaSuppDriver, BaseWirelessInterface, \
-BaseWiredInterface, BaseInterface, wep_pattern, signaldbm_pattern, neediface
+BaseWiredInterface, BaseInterface, GetWpaSupplicantDrivers, wep_pattern, \
+signaldbm_pattern, neediface
 
 try:
     import iwscan
diff --git a/wicd/networking.py b/wicd/networking.py
index ea6620b..605ca83 100644
--- a/wicd/networking.py
+++ b/wicd/networking.py
@@ -703,10 +703,9 @@ class Wireless(Controller):
         """ Get the out of iwconfig. """
         return self.wiface.GetIwconfig()
     
-    def GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(self, drivers):
-        """ Returns all valid wpa_supplicant drivers in a list. """
-        return [driver for driver in drivers if 
-                BACKEND.IsValidWpaSuppDriver(driver)]
+    def GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(self):
+        """ Returns all valid wpa_supplicant drivers on the system. """
+        return BACKEND.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers()
     
     def StopWPA(self):
         return self.wiface.StopWPA()
diff --git a/wicd/prefs.py b/wicd/prefs.py
index 7d3426e..757465a 100644
--- a/wicd/prefs.py
+++ b/wicd/prefs.py
@@ -375,9 +375,7 @@ class PreferencesDialog(object):
 
         # Replacement for the combo box hack
         self.wpadrivercombo = build_combobox("pref_wpa_combobox")
-        self.wpadrivers = ["wext", "hostap", "madwifi", "atmel",
-                           "ndiswrapper", "ipw"]
-        self.wpadrivers = wireless.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(self.wpadrivers)
+        self.wpadrivers = wireless.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers()
         self.wpadrivers.append("ralink_legacy")
         
         for x in self.wpadrivers:
diff --git a/wicd/wicd-daemon.py b/wicd/wicd-daemon.py
index 201b8f5..cdb0e7f 100644
--- a/wicd/wicd-daemon.py
+++ b/wicd/wicd-daemon.py
@@ -1269,9 +1269,9 @@ class WirelessDaemon(dbus.service.Object):
         self.config.remove_section(essid_key)
 
     @dbus.service.method('org.wicd.daemon.wireless')
-    def GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(self, drivers):
-        """ Returns all valid wpa_supplicant drivers in a given list. """
-        return self.wifi.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(drivers)
+    def GetWpaSupplicantDrivers(self):
+        """ Returns all valid wpa_supplicant drivers. """
+        return self.wifi.GetWpaSupplicantDrivers()
 
     @dbus.service.method('org.wicd.daemon.wireless')
     def ReloadConfig(self):
diff --git a/wicd/wnettools.py b/wicd/wnettools.py
index eaa9be5..bfb2b37 100644
--- a/wicd/wnettools.py
+++ b/wicd/wnettools.py
@@ -155,6 +155,17 @@ def NeedsExternalCalls():
     """ Returns True if the backend needs to use an external program. """
     raise NotImplementedError
 
+def GetWpaSupplicantDrivers():
+    """ Returns a list of all valid wpa_supplicant drivers. """
+    output = misc.Run(["wpa_supplicant", "-h"])
+    try:
+        output = output.split("drivers:")[1].split("options:")[0].strip()
+    except:
+        print "Warning: Couldn't get list of valid wpa_supplicant drivers"
+        return [""]
+    patt = re.compile("(\S+)\s+=.*")
+    return patt.findall(output) or [""]
+
 def IsValidWpaSuppDriver(driver):
     """ Returns True if given string is a valid wpa_supplicant driver. """
     output = misc.Run(["wpa_supplicant", "-D%s" % driver, "-iolan19",