diff --git a/sound/core/control.c b/sound/core/control.c
index 9aa15bfc7936..649d3217590e 100644
--- a/sound/core/control.c
+++ b/sound/core/control.c
@@ -348,6 +348,40 @@ static int snd_ctl_find_hole(struct snd_card *card, unsigned int count)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* add a new kcontrol object; call with card->controls_rwsem locked */
+static int __snd_ctl_add(struct snd_card *card, struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol)
+{
+	struct snd_ctl_elem_id id;
+	unsigned int idx;
+	unsigned int count;
+
+	id = kcontrol->id;
+	if (id.index > UINT_MAX - kcontrol->count)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	if (snd_ctl_find_id(card, &id)) {
+		dev_err(card->dev,
+			"control %i:%i:%i:%s:%i is already present\n",
+			id.iface, id.device, id.subdevice, id.name, id.index);
+		return -EBUSY;
+	}
+
+	if (snd_ctl_find_hole(card, kcontrol->count) < 0)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	list_add_tail(&kcontrol->list, &card->controls);
+	card->controls_count += kcontrol->count;
+	kcontrol->id.numid = card->last_numid + 1;
+	card->last_numid += kcontrol->count;
+
+	id = kcontrol->id;
+	count = kcontrol->count;
+	for (idx = 0; idx < count; idx++, id.index++, id.numid++)
+		snd_ctl_notify(card, SNDRV_CTL_EVENT_MASK_ADD, &id);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * snd_ctl_add - add the control instance to the card
  * @card: the card instance
@@ -364,45 +398,18 @@ static int snd_ctl_find_hole(struct snd_card *card, unsigned int count)
  */
 int snd_ctl_add(struct snd_card *card, struct snd_kcontrol *kcontrol)
 {
-	struct snd_ctl_elem_id id;
-	unsigned int idx;
-	unsigned int count;
 	int err = -EINVAL;
 
 	if (! kcontrol)
 		return err;
 	if (snd_BUG_ON(!card || !kcontrol->info))
 		goto error;
-	id = kcontrol->id;
-	if (id.index > UINT_MAX - kcontrol->count)
-		goto error;
 
 	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
-	if (snd_ctl_find_id(card, &id)) {
-		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
-		dev_err(card->dev, "control %i:%i:%i:%s:%i is already present\n",
-					id.iface,
-					id.device,
-					id.subdevice,
-					id.name,
-					id.index);
-		err = -EBUSY;
-		goto error;
-	}
-	if (snd_ctl_find_hole(card, kcontrol->count) < 0) {
-		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
-		err = -ENOMEM;
-		goto error;
-	}
-	list_add_tail(&kcontrol->list, &card->controls);
-	card->controls_count += kcontrol->count;
-	kcontrol->id.numid = card->last_numid + 1;
-	card->last_numid += kcontrol->count;
-	id = kcontrol->id;
-	count = kcontrol->count;
+	err = __snd_ctl_add(card, kcontrol);
 	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
-	for (idx = 0; idx < count; idx++, id.index++, id.numid++)
-		snd_ctl_notify(card, SNDRV_CTL_EVENT_MASK_ADD, &id);
+	if (err < 0)
+		goto error;
 	return 0;
 
  error:
@@ -1361,9 +1368,12 @@ static int snd_ctl_elem_add(struct snd_ctl_file *file,
 		kctl->tlv.c = snd_ctl_elem_user_tlv;
 
 	/* This function manage to free the instance on failure. */
-	err = snd_ctl_add(card, kctl);
-	if (err < 0)
-		return err;
+	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
+	err = __snd_ctl_add(card, kctl);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		snd_ctl_free_one(kctl);
+		goto unlock;
+	}
 	offset = snd_ctl_get_ioff(kctl, &info->id);
 	snd_ctl_build_ioff(&info->id, kctl, offset);
 	/*
@@ -1374,10 +1384,10 @@ static int snd_ctl_elem_add(struct snd_ctl_file *file,
 	 * which locks the element.
 	 */
 
-	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	card->user_ctl_count++;
-	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 
+ unlock:
+	up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	return 0;
 }