diff --git a/sound/core/init.c b/sound/core/init.c
index ed5af4e0ec10..56dde5bd73c4 100644
--- a/sound/core/init.c
+++ b/sound/core/init.c
@@ -1139,7 +1139,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_card_file_remove);
  * typically around calling control ops.
  *
  * The caller needs to pull down the refcount via snd_power_unref() later
- * no matter whether the error is returned from this function or not.
+ * when this function returns 0.
  *
  * Return: Zero if successful, or a negative error code.
  */
@@ -1152,7 +1152,11 @@ int snd_power_ref_and_wait(struct snd_card *card)
 		       card->shutdown ||
 		       snd_power_get_state(card) == SNDRV_CTL_POWER_D0,
 		       snd_power_unref(card), snd_power_ref(card));
-	return card->shutdown ? -ENODEV : 0;
+	if (card->shutdown) {
+		snd_power_unref(card);
+		return  -ENODEV;
+	}
+	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_power_ref_and_wait);
 
@@ -1169,7 +1173,8 @@ int snd_power_wait(struct snd_card *card)
 	int ret;
 
 	ret = snd_power_ref_and_wait(card);
-	snd_power_unref(card);
+	if (!ret)
+		snd_power_unref(card);
 	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_power_wait);