diff --git a/sound/core/control.c b/sound/core/control.c
index 9742bdb..5747453 100644
--- a/sound/core/control.c
+++ b/sound/core/control.c
@@ -309,28 +309,29 @@
 {
 	struct snd_ctl_elem_id id;
 	unsigned int idx;
+	int err = -EINVAL;
 
-	snd_assert(card != NULL, return -EINVAL);
 	if (! kcontrol)
-		return -EINVAL;
-	snd_assert(kcontrol->info != NULL, return -EINVAL);
+		return err;
+	snd_assert(card != NULL, goto error);
+	snd_assert(kcontrol->info != NULL, goto error);
 	id = kcontrol->id;
 	down_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
 	if (snd_ctl_find_id(card, &id)) {
 		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
-		snd_ctl_free_one(kcontrol);
 		snd_printd(KERN_ERR "control %i:%i:%i:%s:%i is already present\n",
 					id.iface,
 					id.device,
 					id.subdevice,
 					id.name,
 					id.index);
-		return -EBUSY;
+		err = -EBUSY;
+		goto error;
 	}
 	if (snd_ctl_find_hole(card, kcontrol->count) < 0) {
 		up_write(&card->controls_rwsem);
-		snd_ctl_free_one(kcontrol);
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		goto error;
 	}
 	list_add_tail(&kcontrol->list, &card->controls);
 	card->controls_count += kcontrol->count;
@@ -340,6 +341,10 @@
 	for (idx = 0; idx < kcontrol->count; idx++, id.index++, id.numid++)
 		snd_ctl_notify(card, SNDRV_CTL_EVENT_MASK_ADD, &id);
 	return 0;
+
+ error:
+	snd_ctl_free_one(kcontrol);
+	return err;
 }
 
 /**