return 0;
 }
 
-static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri);
+static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri,
+                                 struct device **card_devp_to_put);
 
 /*
  * open a timer instance
 {
        struct snd_timer *timer;
        struct snd_timer_instance *timeri = NULL;
+       struct device *card_dev_to_put = NULL;
        int err;
 
        mutex_lock(®ister_mutex);
                list_add_tail(&timeri->open_list, &snd_timer_slave_list);
                err = snd_timer_check_slave(timeri);
                if (err < 0) {
-                       snd_timer_close_locked(timeri);
+                       snd_timer_close_locked(timeri, &card_dev_to_put);
                        timeri = NULL;
                }
                goto unlock;
                        timeri = NULL;
 
                        if (timer->card)
-                               put_device(&timer->card->card_dev);
+                               card_dev_to_put = &timer->card->card_dev;
                        module_put(timer->module);
                        goto unlock;
                }
        timer->num_instances++;
        err = snd_timer_check_master(timeri);
        if (err < 0) {
-               snd_timer_close_locked(timeri);
+               snd_timer_close_locked(timeri, &card_dev_to_put);
                timeri = NULL;
        }
 
  unlock:
        mutex_unlock(®ister_mutex);
+       /* put_device() is called after unlock for avoiding deadlock */
+       if (card_dev_to_put)
+               put_device(card_dev_to_put);
        *ti = timeri;
        return err;
 }
  * close a timer instance
  * call this with register_mutex down.
  */
-static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri)
+static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri,
+                                 struct device **card_devp_to_put)
 {
        struct snd_timer *timer = timeri->timer;
        struct snd_timer_instance *slave, *tmp;
                        timer->hw.close(timer);
                /* release a card refcount for safe disconnection */
                if (timer->card)
-                       put_device(&timer->card->card_dev);
+                       *card_devp_to_put = &timer->card->card_dev;
                module_put(timer->module);
        }
 
  */
 int snd_timer_close(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri)
 {
+       struct device *card_dev_to_put = NULL;
        int err;
 
        if (snd_BUG_ON(!timeri))
                return -ENXIO;
 
        mutex_lock(®ister_mutex);
-       err = snd_timer_close_locked(timeri);
+       err = snd_timer_close_locked(timeri, &card_dev_to_put);
        mutex_unlock(®ister_mutex);
+       /* put_device() is called after unlock for avoiding deadlock */
+       if (card_dev_to_put)
+               put_device(card_dev_to_put);
        return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_timer_close);