diff --git a/include/sound/hwdep.h b/include/sound/hwdep.h
index 8d6cdb254039..b0da633184cd 100644
--- a/include/sound/hwdep.h
+++ b/include/sound/hwdep.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct snd_hwdep {
 	wait_queue_head_t open_wait;
 	void *private_data;
 	void (*private_free) (struct snd_hwdep *hwdep);
-	struct device dev;
+	struct device *dev;
 
 	struct mutex open_mutex;
 	int used;			/* reference counter */
diff --git a/sound/core/hwdep.c b/sound/core/hwdep.c
index e95fa275c289..de7476034f2c 100644
--- a/sound/core/hwdep.c
+++ b/sound/core/hwdep.c
@@ -338,9 +338,14 @@ static const struct file_operations snd_hwdep_f_ops =
 	.mmap =		snd_hwdep_mmap,
 };
 
-static void release_hwdep_device(struct device *dev)
+static void snd_hwdep_free(struct snd_hwdep *hwdep)
 {
-	kfree(container_of(dev, struct snd_hwdep, dev));
+	if (!hwdep)
+		return;
+	if (hwdep->private_free)
+		hwdep->private_free(hwdep);
+	put_device(hwdep->dev);
+	kfree(hwdep);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -382,16 +387,20 @@ int snd_hwdep_new(struct snd_card *card, char *id, int device,
 	if (id)
 		strscpy(hwdep->id, id, sizeof(hwdep->id));
 
-	snd_device_initialize(&hwdep->dev, card);
-	hwdep->dev.release = release_hwdep_device;
-	dev_set_name(&hwdep->dev, "hwC%iD%i", card->number, device);
+	err = snd_device_alloc(&hwdep->dev, card);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		snd_hwdep_free(hwdep);
+		return err;
+	}
+
+	dev_set_name(hwdep->dev, "hwC%iD%i", card->number, device);
 #ifdef CONFIG_SND_OSSEMUL
 	hwdep->oss_type = -1;
 #endif
 
 	err = snd_device_new(card, SNDRV_DEV_HWDEP, hwdep, &ops);
 	if (err < 0) {
-		put_device(&hwdep->dev);
+		snd_hwdep_free(hwdep);
 		return err;
 	}
 
@@ -403,12 +412,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_hwdep_new);
 
 static int snd_hwdep_dev_free(struct snd_device *device)
 {
-	struct snd_hwdep *hwdep = device->device_data;
-	if (!hwdep)
-		return 0;
-	if (hwdep->private_free)
-		hwdep->private_free(hwdep);
-	put_device(&hwdep->dev);
+	snd_hwdep_free(device->device_data);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -426,9 +430,9 @@ static int snd_hwdep_dev_register(struct snd_device *device)
 	list_add_tail(&hwdep->list, &snd_hwdep_devices);
 	err = snd_register_device(SNDRV_DEVICE_TYPE_HWDEP,
 				  hwdep->card, hwdep->device,
-				  &snd_hwdep_f_ops, hwdep, &hwdep->dev);
+				  &snd_hwdep_f_ops, hwdep, hwdep->dev);
 	if (err < 0) {
-		dev_err(&hwdep->dev, "unable to register\n");
+		dev_err(hwdep->dev, "unable to register\n");
 		list_del(&hwdep->list);
 		mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 		return err;
@@ -439,12 +443,12 @@ static int snd_hwdep_dev_register(struct snd_device *device)
 	if (hwdep->oss_type >= 0) {
 		if (hwdep->oss_type == SNDRV_OSS_DEVICE_TYPE_DMFM &&
 		    hwdep->device)
-			dev_warn(&hwdep->dev,
+			dev_warn(hwdep->dev,
 				 "only hwdep device 0 can be registered as OSS direct FM device!\n");
 		else if (snd_register_oss_device(hwdep->oss_type,
 						 card, hwdep->device,
 						 &snd_hwdep_f_ops, hwdep) < 0)
-			dev_warn(&hwdep->dev,
+			dev_warn(hwdep->dev,
 				 "unable to register OSS compatibility device\n");
 		else
 			hwdep->ossreg = 1;
@@ -471,7 +475,7 @@ static int snd_hwdep_dev_disconnect(struct snd_device *device)
 	if (hwdep->ossreg)
 		snd_unregister_oss_device(hwdep->oss_type, hwdep->card, hwdep->device);
 #endif
-	snd_unregister_device(&hwdep->dev);
+	snd_unregister_device(hwdep->dev);
 	list_del_init(&hwdep->list);
 	mutex_unlock(&hwdep->open_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c b/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c
index 125e97fe0b1c..727f39acedfc 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ int snd_hda_create_hwdep(struct hda_codec *codec)
 #endif
 
 	/* for sysfs */
-	hwdep->dev.groups = snd_hda_dev_attr_groups;
-	dev_set_drvdata(&hwdep->dev, codec);
+	hwdep->dev->groups = snd_hda_dev_attr_groups;
+	dev_set_drvdata(hwdep->dev, codec);
 
 	return 0;
 }