diff --git a/sound/usb/card.c b/sound/usb/card.c
index 2bfe4e80a6b9..a105947eaf55 100644
--- a/sound/usb/card.c
+++ b/sound/usb/card.c
@@ -682,9 +682,12 @@ static int usb_audio_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 
  __error:
 	if (chip) {
+		/* chip->active is inside the chip->card object,
+		 * decrement before memory is possibly returned.
+		 */
+		atomic_dec(&chip->active);
 		if (!chip->num_interfaces)
 			snd_card_free(chip->card);
-		atomic_dec(&chip->active);
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 	return err;