diff --git a/sound/core/sound.c b/sound/core/sound.c
index 8dc7a3b32b9..f6ebce08b53 100644
--- a/sound/core/sound.c
+++ b/sound/core/sound.c
@@ -266,6 +266,14 @@ int snd_register_device_for_dev(int type, struct snd_card *card, int dev,
 	snd_minors[minor] = preg;
 	preg->dev = device_create(sound_class, device, MKDEV(major, minor),
 				  "%s", name);
+	if (IS_ERR(preg->dev)) {
+		snd_minors[minor] = NULL;
+		mutex_unlock(&sound_mutex);
+		minor = PTR_ERR(preg->dev);
+		kfree(preg);
+		return minor;
+	}
+
 	if (preg->dev)
 		dev_set_drvdata(preg->dev, private_data);