diff --git a/sound/drivers/mpu401/mpu401_uart.c b/sound/drivers/mpu401/mpu401_uart.c
index 6de03d72a908..fcf2b686f9f5 100644
--- a/sound/drivers/mpu401/mpu401_uart.c
+++ b/sound/drivers/mpu401/mpu401_uart.c
@@ -155,20 +155,20 @@ static void snd_mpu401_uart_timer(struct timer_list *t)
 
 	scoped_guard(spinlock_irqsave, &mpu->timer_lock) {
 		/*mpu->mode |= MPU401_MODE_TIMER;*/
-		mod_timer(&mpu->timer,  1 + jiffies);
+		if (mpu->timer_invoked)
+			mod_timer(&mpu->timer,  1 + jiffies);
 	}
 	if (mpu->rmidi)
 		_snd_mpu401_uart_interrupt(mpu);
 }
 
 /*
- * initialize the timer callback if not programmed yet
+ * arm the timer if it is not already active
  */
 static void snd_mpu401_uart_add_timer (struct snd_mpu401 *mpu, int input)
 {
 	guard(spinlock_irqsave)(&mpu->timer_lock);
 	if (mpu->timer_invoked == 0) {
-		timer_setup(&mpu->timer, snd_mpu401_uart_timer, 0);
 		mod_timer(&mpu->timer, 1 + jiffies);
 	} 
 	mpu->timer_invoked |= input ? MPU401_MODE_INPUT_TIMER :
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ static void snd_mpu401_uart_free(struct snd_rawmidi *rmidi)
 	struct snd_mpu401 *mpu = rmidi->private_data;
 	if (mpu->irq >= 0)
 		free_irq(mpu->irq, (void *) mpu);
+	timer_shutdown_sync(&mpu->timer);
 	release_and_free_resource(mpu->res);
 	kfree(mpu);
 }
@@ -528,6 +529,7 @@ int snd_mpu401_uart_new(struct snd_card *card, int device,
 	spin_lock_init(&mpu->input_lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&mpu->output_lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&mpu->timer_lock);
+	timer_setup(&mpu->timer, snd_mpu401_uart_timer, 0);
 	mpu->hardware = hardware;
 	mpu->irq = -1;
 	mpu->rmidi = rmidi;