static int ir_lirc_register(struct rc_dev *dev)
 {
        struct lirc_driver *drv;
-       struct lirc_buffer *rbuf;
        int rc = -ENOMEM;
        unsigned long features = 0;
 
        if (!drv)
                return rc;
 
-       rbuf = kzalloc(sizeof(struct lirc_buffer), GFP_KERNEL);
-       if (!rbuf)
-               goto rbuf_alloc_failed;
-
-       rc = lirc_buffer_init(rbuf, sizeof(int), LIRCBUF_SIZE);
-       if (rc)
-               goto rbuf_init_failed;
-
        if (dev->driver_type != RC_DRIVER_IR_RAW_TX) {
                features |= LIRC_CAN_REC_MODE2;
                if (dev->rx_resolution)
                        features |= LIRC_CAN_GET_REC_RESOLUTION;
        }
+
        if (dev->tx_ir) {
                features |= LIRC_CAN_SEND_PULSE;
                if (dev->s_tx_mask)
        drv->minor = -1;
        drv->features = features;
        drv->data = &dev->raw->lirc;
-       drv->rbuf = rbuf;
+       drv->rbuf = NULL;
        drv->set_use_inc = &ir_lirc_open;
        drv->set_use_dec = &ir_lirc_close;
        drv->code_length = sizeof(struct ir_raw_event) * 8;
+       drv->chunk_size = sizeof(int);
+       drv->buffer_size = LIRCBUF_SIZE;
        drv->fops = &lirc_fops;
        drv->dev = &dev->dev;
        drv->rdev = dev;
        drv->minor = lirc_register_driver(drv);
        if (drv->minor < 0) {
                rc = -ENODEV;
-               goto lirc_register_failed;
+               goto out;
        }
 
        dev->raw->lirc.drv = drv;
        dev->raw->lirc.dev = dev;
        return 0;
 
-lirc_register_failed:
-rbuf_init_failed:
-       kfree(rbuf);
-rbuf_alloc_failed:
+out:
        kfree(drv);
-
        return rc;
 }
 
        struct lirc_codec *lirc = &dev->raw->lirc;
 
        lirc_unregister_driver(lirc->drv->minor);
-       lirc_buffer_free(lirc->drv->rbuf);
-       kfree(lirc->drv->rbuf);
        kfree(lirc->drv);
+       lirc->drv = NULL;
 
        return 0;
 }
 
 
        struct mutex irctl_lock;
        struct lirc_buffer *buf;
+       bool buf_internal;
        unsigned int chunk_size;
 
        struct device dev;
 
        put_device(ir->dev.parent);
 
-       if (ir->buf != ir->d.rbuf) {
+       if (ir->buf_internal) {
                lirc_buffer_free(ir->buf);
                kfree(ir->buf);
        }
 
        if (d->rbuf) {
                ir->buf = d->rbuf;
+               ir->buf_internal = false;
        } else {
                ir->buf = kmalloc(sizeof(struct lirc_buffer), GFP_KERNEL);
                if (!ir->buf) {
                err = lirc_buffer_init(ir->buf, chunk_size, buffer_size);
                if (err) {
                        kfree(ir->buf);
+                       ir->buf = NULL;
                        goto out;
                }
+
+               ir->buf_internal = true;
        }
        ir->chunk_size = ir->buf->chunk_size;
 
                err = lirc_allocate_buffer(irctls[minor]);
                if (err)
                        lirc_unregister_driver(minor);
+               else
+                       /*
+                        * This is kind of a hack but ir-lirc-codec needs
+                        * access to the buffer that lirc_dev allocated.
+                        */
+                       d->rbuf = irctls[minor]->buf;
        }
 
        return err ? err : minor;