diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/avs/debugfs.c b/sound/soc/intel/avs/debugfs.c
index 9ab503da3b75..bc02737720ab 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/avs/debugfs.c
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/avs/debugfs.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <linux/cleanup.h>
 #include <linux/debugfs.h>
 #include <linux/kfifo.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/wait.h>
 #include <linux/sched/signal.h>
 #include <linux/string_helpers.h>
@@ -236,15 +237,20 @@ static int strace_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	if (!try_module_get(adev->dev->driver->owner))
 		return -ENODEV;
 
-	if (kfifo_initialized(&adev->trace_fifo))
-		return -EBUSY;
+	if (kfifo_initialized(&adev->trace_fifo)) {
+		ret = -EBUSY;
+		goto err;
+	}
 
 	ret = kfifo_alloc(&adev->trace_fifo, PAGE_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
+		goto err;
 
 	file->private_data = adev;
 	return 0;
+err:
+	module_put(adev->dev->driver->owner);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int strace_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)