diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_memory.c b/sound/core/pcm_memory.c
index f1fb856ff4ac..f1470590239e 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_memory.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_memory.c
@@ -446,7 +446,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_pcm_lib_malloc_pages);
  */
 int snd_pcm_lib_free_pages(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 {
-	struct snd_card *card = substream->pcm->card;
 	struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime;
 
 	if (PCM_RUNTIME_CHECK(substream))
@@ -455,6 +454,8 @@ int snd_pcm_lib_free_pages(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 	if (runtime->dma_area == NULL)
 		return 0;
 	if (runtime->dma_buffer_p != &substream->dma_buffer) {
+		struct snd_card *card = substream->pcm->card;
+
 		/* it's a newly allocated buffer.  release it now. */
 		do_free_pages(card, runtime->dma_buffer_p);
 		kfree(runtime->dma_buffer_p);