diff --git a/sound/core/control.c b/sound/core/control.c
index a41d19c46df2..9c933350ec6b 100644
--- a/sound/core/control.c
+++ b/sound/core/control.c
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ static LIST_HEAD(snd_control_compat_ioctls);
 #endif
 static struct snd_ctl_layer_ops *snd_ctl_layer;
 
+static int snd_ctl_remove_locked(struct snd_card *card,
+				 struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol);
+
 static int snd_ctl_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
@@ -483,7 +486,7 @@ static int __snd_ctl_add_replace(struct snd_card *card,
 			return -EBUSY;
 		}
 
-		err = snd_ctl_remove(card, old);
+		err = snd_ctl_remove_locked(card, old);
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;
 	}
@@ -589,20 +592,32 @@ static int __snd_ctl_remove(struct snd_card *card,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static inline int snd_ctl_remove_locked(struct snd_card *card,
+					struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol)
+{
+	return __snd_ctl_remove(card, kcontrol, true);
+}
+
 /**
  * snd_ctl_remove - remove the control from the card and release it
  * @card: the card instance
  * @kcontrol: the control instance to remove
  *
  * Removes the control from the card and then releases the instance.
- * You don't need to call snd_ctl_free_one(). You must be in
- * the write lock - down_write(&card->controls_rwsem).
+ * You don't need to call snd_ctl_free_one().
  *
  * Return: 0 if successful, or a negative error code on failure.
+ *
+ * Note that this function takes card->controls_rwsem lock internally.
  */
 int snd_ctl_remove(struct snd_card *card, struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol)
 {
-	return __snd_ctl_remove(card, kcontrol, true);
+	int ret;
+
+	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
+	ret = snd_ctl_remove_locked(card, kcontrol);
+	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_ctl_remove);
 
@@ -627,7 +642,7 @@ int snd_ctl_remove_id(struct snd_card *card, struct snd_ctl_elem_id *id)
 		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}
-	ret = snd_ctl_remove(card, kctl);
+	ret = snd_ctl_remove_locked(card, kctl);
 	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -665,7 +680,7 @@ static int snd_ctl_remove_user_ctl(struct snd_ctl_file * file,
 			ret = -EBUSY;
 			goto error;
 		}
-	ret = snd_ctl_remove(card, kctl);
+	ret = snd_ctl_remove_locked(card, kctl);
 error:
 	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	return ret;
diff --git a/sound/core/jack.c b/sound/core/jack.c
index 03d155ed362b..e0f034e7275c 100644
--- a/sound/core/jack.c
+++ b/sound/core/jack.c
@@ -66,12 +66,10 @@ static int snd_jack_dev_free(struct snd_device *device)
 	struct snd_card *card = device->card;
 	struct snd_jack_kctl *jack_kctl, *tmp_jack_kctl;
 
-	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(jack_kctl, tmp_jack_kctl, &jack->kctl_list, list) {
 		list_del_init(&jack_kctl->list);
 		snd_ctl_remove(card, jack_kctl->kctl);
 	}
-	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 
 	if (jack->private_free)
 		jack->private_free(jack);
diff --git a/sound/core/pcm.c b/sound/core/pcm.c
index 9d95e3731123..1c0bb3a07bff 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm.c
@@ -814,9 +814,7 @@ static void free_chmap(struct snd_pcm_str *pstr)
 	if (pstr->chmap_kctl) {
 		struct snd_card *card = pstr->pcm->card;
 
-		down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 		snd_ctl_remove(card, pstr->chmap_kctl);
-		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 		pstr->chmap_kctl = NULL;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/sound/isa/sb/emu8000.c b/sound/isa/sb/emu8000.c
index e02029677743..a6405772d537 100644
--- a/sound/isa/sb/emu8000.c
+++ b/sound/isa/sb/emu8000.c
@@ -1040,10 +1040,8 @@ snd_emu8000_create_mixer(struct snd_card *card, struct snd_emu8000 *emu)
 
 __error:
 	for (i = 0; i < EMU8000_NUM_CONTROLS; i++) {
-		down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 		if (emu->controls[i])
 			snd_ctl_remove(card, emu->controls[i]);
-		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	}
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c b/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c
index 7ad8c5f7b664..8d8357019719 100644
--- a/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c
+++ b/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c
@@ -1080,7 +1080,6 @@ static void snd_sb_qsound_destroy(struct snd_sb_csp * p)
 
 	card = p->chip->card;	
 	
-	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	if (p->qsound_switch) {
 		snd_ctl_remove(card, p->qsound_switch);
 		p->qsound_switch = NULL;
@@ -1089,7 +1088,6 @@ static void snd_sb_qsound_destroy(struct snd_sb_csp * p)
 		snd_ctl_remove(card, p->qsound_space);
 		p->qsound_space = NULL;
 	}
-	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 
 	/* cancel pending transfer of QSound parameters */
 	spin_lock_irqsave (&p->q_lock, flags);
diff --git a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c
index 9904bcfee106..70c8252a92d9 100644
--- a/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c
+++ b/sound/pci/emu10k1/emufx.c
@@ -977,11 +977,9 @@ static int snd_emu10k1_del_controls(struct snd_emu10k1 *emu,
 				       in_kernel);
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;
-		down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 		ctl = snd_emu10k1_look_for_ctl(emu, &id);
 		if (ctl)
 			snd_ctl_remove(card, ctl->kcontrol);
-		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/hda_codec.c b/sound/pci/hda/hda_codec.c
index bd19f92aeeec..33af707a65ab 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/hda_codec.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/hda_codec.c
@@ -1769,10 +1769,8 @@ void snd_hda_ctls_clear(struct hda_codec *codec)
 	int i;
 	struct hda_nid_item *items = codec->mixers.list;
 
-	down_write(&codec->card->controls_rwsem);
 	for (i = 0; i < codec->mixers.used; i++)
 		snd_ctl_remove(codec->card, items[i].kctl);
-	up_write(&codec->card->controls_rwsem);
 	snd_array_free(&codec->mixers);
 	snd_array_free(&codec->nids);
 }
diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-topology.c b/sound/soc/soc-topology.c
index 8add361e87c6..03ec3c5adc3a 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-topology.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-topology.c
@@ -2564,7 +2564,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_soc_tplg_component_load);
 /* remove dynamic controls from the component driver */
 int snd_soc_tplg_component_remove(struct snd_soc_component *comp)
 {
-	struct snd_card *card = comp->card->snd_card;
 	struct snd_soc_dobj *dobj, *next_dobj;
 	int pass;
 
@@ -2572,7 +2571,6 @@ int snd_soc_tplg_component_remove(struct snd_soc_component *comp)
 	for (pass = SOC_TPLG_PASS_END; pass >= SOC_TPLG_PASS_START; pass--) {
 
 		/* remove mixer controls */
-		down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 		list_for_each_entry_safe(dobj, next_dobj, &comp->dobj_list,
 			list) {
 
@@ -2607,7 +2605,6 @@ int snd_soc_tplg_component_remove(struct snd_soc_component *comp)
 				break;
 			}
 		}
-		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	}
 
 	/* let caller know if FW can be freed when no objects are left */