diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_timer.c b/sound/core/pcm_timer.c
index ab0e5bd70f8f..18bedd66435d 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_timer.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_timer.c
@@ -111,12 +111,15 @@ void snd_pcm_timer_init(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 			snd_pcm_direction_name(substream->stream),
 			tid.card, tid.device, tid.subdevice);
 	timer->hw = snd_pcm_timer;
+	/* Set before registering: a concurrent reader can invoke our hw
+	 * callbacks as soon as the timer is on the global list.
+	 */
+	timer->private_data = substream;
+	timer->private_free = snd_pcm_timer_free;
 	if (snd_device_register(timer->card, timer) < 0) {
 		snd_device_free(timer->card, timer);
 		return;
 	}
-	timer->private_data = substream;
-	timer->private_free = snd_pcm_timer_free;
 	substream->timer = timer;
 }