diff --git a/sound/pci/ice1712/juli.c b/sound/pci/ice1712/juli.c
index d80ecf1edc16..d679842ae1bd 100644
--- a/sound/pci/ice1712/juli.c
+++ b/sound/pci/ice1712/juli.c
@@ -408,21 +408,6 @@ static const char * const follower_vols[] = {
 static
 DECLARE_TLV_DB_SCALE(juli_master_db_scale, -6350, 50, 1);
 
-static void add_followers(struct snd_card *card,
-			  struct snd_kcontrol *master,
-			  const char * const *list)
-{
-	for (; *list; list++) {
-		struct snd_kcontrol *follower =
-			snd_ctl_find_id_mixer(card, *list);
-		/* dev_dbg(card->dev, "add_followers - %s\n", *list); */
-		if (follower) {
-			/* dev_dbg(card->dev, "follower %s found\n", *list); */
-			snd_ctl_add_follower(master, follower);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 static int juli_add_controls(struct snd_ice1712 *ice)
 {
 	struct juli_spec *spec = ice->spec;
@@ -445,8 +430,10 @@ static int juli_add_controls(struct snd_ice1712 *ice)
 					      juli_master_db_scale);
 	if (!vmaster)
 		return -ENOMEM;
-	add_followers(ice->card, vmaster, follower_vols);
 	err = snd_ctl_add(ice->card, vmaster);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
+	err = snd_ctl_add_followers(ice->card, vmaster, follower_vols);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
diff --git a/sound/pci/ice1712/quartet.c b/sound/pci/ice1712/quartet.c
index 9450c4b104f7..f61ee9f5c754 100644
--- a/sound/pci/ice1712/quartet.c
+++ b/sound/pci/ice1712/quartet.c
@@ -766,17 +766,6 @@ static const char * const follower_vols[] = {
 static
 DECLARE_TLV_DB_SCALE(qtet_master_db_scale, -6350, 50, 1);
 
-static void add_followers(struct snd_card *card,
-			  struct snd_kcontrol *master, const char * const *list)
-{
-	for (; *list; list++) {
-		struct snd_kcontrol *follower =
-			snd_ctl_find_id_mixer(card, *list);
-		if (follower)
-			snd_ctl_add_follower(master, follower);
-	}
-}
-
 static int qtet_add_controls(struct snd_ice1712 *ice)
 {
 	struct qtet_spec *spec = ice->spec;
@@ -797,8 +786,10 @@ static int qtet_add_controls(struct snd_ice1712 *ice)
 			qtet_master_db_scale);
 	if (!vmaster)
 		return -ENOMEM;
-	add_followers(ice->card, vmaster, follower_vols);
 	err = snd_ctl_add(ice->card, vmaster);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
+	err = snd_ctl_add_followers(ice->card, vmaster, follower_vols);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 	/* only capture SPDIF over AK4113 */