diff --git a/include/sound/rawmidi.h b/include/sound/rawmidi.h
index e1f59b2940af..52b1cbfb2526 100644
--- a/include/sound/rawmidi.h
+++ b/include/sound/rawmidi.h
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ int snd_rawmidi_proceed(struct snd_rawmidi_substream *substream);
 /* main midi functions */
 
 int snd_rawmidi_info_select(struct snd_card *card, struct snd_rawmidi_info *info);
-int snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(struct snd_card *card, int device, int subdevice,
+int snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(struct snd_rawmidi *rmidi, int subdevice,
 			    int mode, struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile);
 int snd_rawmidi_kernel_release(struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile);
 int snd_rawmidi_output_params(struct snd_rawmidi_substream *substream,
diff --git a/sound/core/rawmidi.c b/sound/core/rawmidi.c
index 7147fda66d93..589b75087d27 100644
--- a/sound/core/rawmidi.c
+++ b/sound/core/rawmidi.c
@@ -406,24 +406,15 @@ static int rawmidi_open_priv(struct snd_rawmidi *rmidi, int subdevice, int mode,
 }
 
 /* called from sound/core/seq/seq_midi.c */
-int snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(struct snd_card *card, int device, int subdevice,
+int snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(struct snd_rawmidi *rmidi, int subdevice,
 			    int mode, struct snd_rawmidi_file *rfile)
 {
-	struct snd_rawmidi *rmidi;
-	int err = 0;
+	int err;
 
 	if (snd_BUG_ON(!rfile))
 		return -EINVAL;
-
-	mutex_lock(&register_mutex);
-	rmidi = snd_rawmidi_search(card, device);
-	if (!rmidi)
-		err = -ENODEV;
-	else if (!try_module_get(rmidi->card->module))
-		err = -ENXIO;
-	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
-	if (err < 0)
-		return err;
+	if (!try_module_get(rmidi->card->module))
+		return -ENXIO;
 
 	mutex_lock(&rmidi->open_mutex);
 	err = rawmidi_open_priv(rmidi, subdevice, mode, rfile);
diff --git a/sound/core/seq/seq_midi.c b/sound/core/seq/seq_midi.c
index 4589aac09154..2b5fff80de58 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq/seq_midi.c
+++ b/sound/core/seq/seq_midi.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(input_buffer_size, "Input buffer size in bytes.");
 /* data for this midi synth driver */
 struct seq_midisynth {
 	struct snd_card *card;
+	struct snd_rawmidi *rmidi;
 	int device;
 	int subdevice;
 	struct snd_rawmidi_file input_rfile;
@@ -168,8 +169,7 @@ static int midisynth_subscribe(void *private_data, struct snd_seq_port_subscribe
 	struct snd_rawmidi_params params;
 
 	/* open midi port */
-	err = snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(msynth->card, msynth->device,
-				      msynth->subdevice,
+	err = snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(msynth->rmidi, msynth->subdevice,
 				      SNDRV_RAWMIDI_LFLG_INPUT,
 				      &msynth->input_rfile);
 	if (err < 0) {
@@ -212,8 +212,7 @@ static int midisynth_use(void *private_data, struct snd_seq_port_subscribe *info
 	struct snd_rawmidi_params params;
 
 	/* open midi port */
-	err = snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(msynth->card, msynth->device,
-				      msynth->subdevice,
+	err = snd_rawmidi_kernel_open(msynth->rmidi, msynth->subdevice,
 				      SNDRV_RAWMIDI_LFLG_OUTPUT,
 				      &msynth->output_rfile);
 	if (err < 0) {
@@ -328,6 +327,7 @@ snd_seq_midisynth_probe(struct device *_dev)
 
 	for (p = 0; p < ports; p++) {
 		ms = &msynth[p];
+		ms->rmidi = rmidi;
 
 		if (snd_seq_midisynth_new(ms, card, device, p) < 0)
 			goto __nomem;