diff --git a/sound/core/timer.c b/sound/core/timer.c
index 00618703c58f..2d6e3e76ddf5 100644
--- a/sound/core/timer.c
+++ b/sound/core/timer.c
@@ -294,8 +294,21 @@ int snd_timer_open(struct snd_timer_instance **ti,
 		get_device(&timer->card->card_dev);
 	timeri->slave_class = tid->dev_sclass;
 	timeri->slave_id = slave_id;
-	if (list_empty(&timer->open_list_head) && timer->hw.open)
-		timer->hw.open(timer);
+
+	if (list_empty(&timer->open_list_head) && timer->hw.open) {
+		int err = timer->hw.open(timer);
+		if (err) {
+			kfree(timeri->owner);
+			kfree(timeri);
+
+			if (timer->card)
+				put_device(&timer->card->card_dev);
+			module_put(timer->module);
+			mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
+			return err;
+		}
+	}
+
 	list_add_tail(&timeri->open_list, &timer->open_list_head);
 	snd_timer_check_master(timeri);
 	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);