regcache_cache_bypass(max98373->regmap, true);
 
        /*
-        * PM runtime is only enabled when a Slave reports as Attached
+        * PM runtime status is marked as 'active' only when a Slave reports as Attached
         */
-       if (!max98373->first_hw_init) {
-               /* set autosuspend parameters */
-               pm_runtime_set_autosuspend_delay(dev, 3000);
-               pm_runtime_use_autosuspend(dev);
-
+       if (!max98373->first_hw_init)
                /* update count of parent 'active' children */
                pm_runtime_set_active(dev);
 
-               /* make sure the device does not suspend immediately */
-               pm_runtime_mark_last_busy(dev);
-
-               pm_runtime_enable(dev);
-       }
-
        pm_runtime_get_noresume(dev);
 
        /* Software Reset */
        ret = devm_snd_soc_register_component(dev, &soc_codec_dev_max98373_sdw,
                                              max98373_sdw_dai,
                                              ARRAY_SIZE(max98373_sdw_dai));
-       if (ret < 0)
+       if (ret < 0) {
                dev_err(dev, "Failed to register codec: %d\n", ret);
+               return ret;
+       }
 
-       return ret;
+       /* set autosuspend parameters */
+       pm_runtime_set_autosuspend_delay(dev, 3000);
+       pm_runtime_use_autosuspend(dev);
+
+       /* make sure the device does not suspend immediately */
+       pm_runtime_mark_last_busy(dev);
+
+       pm_runtime_enable(dev);
+
+       /* important note: the device is NOT tagged as 'active' and will remain
+        * 'suspended' until the hardware is enumerated/initialized. This is required
+        * to make sure the ASoC framework use of pm_runtime_get_sync() does not silently
+        * fail with -EACCESS because of race conditions between card creation and enumeration
+        */
+
+       return 0;
 }
 
 static int max98373_update_status(struct sdw_slave *slave,
 
 static int max98373_sdw_remove(struct sdw_slave *slave)
 {
-       struct max98373_priv *max98373 = dev_get_drvdata(&slave->dev);
-
-       if (max98373->first_hw_init)
-               pm_runtime_disable(&slave->dev);
+       pm_runtime_disable(&slave->dev);
 
        return 0;
 }