diff --git a/sound/isa/Kconfig b/sound/isa/Kconfig
index 376c6b03d2ca..cf3803cd579c 100644
--- a/sound/isa/Kconfig
+++ b/sound/isa/Kconfig
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ config SND_SBAWE
 config SND_SB16_CSP
 	bool "Sound Blaster 16/AWE CSP support"
 	depends on (SND_SB16 || SND_SBAWE) && (BROKEN || !PPC)
-	select FW_LOADER
+	select FW_LOADER if !SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	help
 	  Say Y here to include support for the CSP core.  This special
 	  coprocessor can do variable tasks like various compression and
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ config SND_SSCAPE
 config SND_WAVEFRONT
 	tristate "Turtle Beach Maui,Tropez,Tropez+ (Wavefront)"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
+	select FW_LOADER if !SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	select SND_OPL3_LIB
 	select SND_MPU401_UART
 	select SND_CS4231_LIB
diff --git a/sound/pci/Kconfig b/sound/pci/Kconfig
index 9ed4f2fa8fe6..61e35ecc57b8 100644
--- a/sound/pci/Kconfig
+++ b/sound/pci/Kconfig
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ config SND_INTEL8X0M
 config SND_KORG1212
 	tristate "Korg 1212 IO"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
+	select FW_LOADER if !SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	select SND_PCM
 	help
 	  Say Y here to include support for Korg 1212IO soundcards.
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ config SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 config SND_MAESTRO3
 	tristate "ESS Allegro/Maestro3"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
+	select FW_LOADER if !SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	select SND_AC97_CODEC
 	help
 	  Say Y here to include support for soundcards based on ESS Maestro 3
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ config SND_VX222
 config SND_YMFPCI
 	tristate "Yamaha YMF724/740/744/754"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
+	select FW_LOADER if !SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	select SND_OPL3_LIB
 	select SND_MPU401_UART
 	select SND_AC97_CODEC