diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-core.c b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
index 580a1a534ad..d4b90d82a09 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-core.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
@@ -1382,7 +1382,10 @@ int snd_soc_init_card(struct snd_soc_device *socdev)
 
 	mutex_lock(&codec->mutex);
 #ifdef CONFIG_SND_SOC_AC97_BUS
-	if (ac97) {
+	/* Only instantiate AC97 if not already done by the adaptor
+	 * for the generic AC97 subsystem.
+	 */
+	if (ac97 && strcmp(codec->name, "AC97") != 0) {
 		ret = soc_ac97_dev_register(codec);
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			printk(KERN_ERR "asoc: AC97 device register failed\n");