diff --git a/sound/core/control.c b/sound/core/control.c
index 7e86a5b9..9768a39 100644
--- a/sound/core/control.c
+++ b/sound/core/control.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
 	write_lock_irqsave(&card->ctl_files_rwlock, flags);
 	list_add_tail(&ctl->list, &card->ctl_files);
 	write_unlock_irqrestore(&card->ctl_files_rwlock, flags);
+	snd_card_unref(card);
 	return 0;
 
       __error:
@@ -93,6 +94,8 @@
       __error2:
 	snd_card_file_remove(card, file);
       __error1:
+	if (card)
+		snd_card_unref(card);
       	return err;
 }