diff --git a/sound/firewire/bebob/bebob_pcm.c b/sound/firewire/bebob/bebob_pcm.c
index 7a2c1f53bc44..c0f018a61fdc 100644
--- a/sound/firewire/bebob/bebob_pcm.c
+++ b/sound/firewire/bebob/bebob_pcm.c
@@ -211,26 +211,38 @@ pcm_capture_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 		      struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_bebob *bebob = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN)
 		atomic_inc(&bebob->substreams_counter);
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&bebob->tx_stream,
 				    params_format(hw_params));
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+
+	return 0;
 }
 static int
 pcm_playback_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 		       struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_bebob *bebob = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN)
 		atomic_inc(&bebob->substreams_counter);
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&bebob->rx_stream,
 				    params_format(hw_params));
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/sound/firewire/dice/dice-pcm.c b/sound/firewire/dice/dice-pcm.c
index f77714511f8b..4e67b1da0fe6 100644
--- a/sound/firewire/dice/dice-pcm.c
+++ b/sound/firewire/dice/dice-pcm.c
@@ -230,6 +230,12 @@ static int capture_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 			     struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_dice *dice = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN) {
 		mutex_lock(&dice->mutex);
@@ -240,13 +246,18 @@ static int capture_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&dice->tx_stream,
 				    params_format(hw_params));
 
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	return 0;
 }
 static int playback_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 			      struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_dice *dice = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN) {
 		mutex_lock(&dice->mutex);
@@ -257,8 +268,7 @@ static int playback_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&dice->rx_stream,
 				    params_format(hw_params));
 
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int capture_hw_free(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
diff --git a/sound/firewire/fireworks/fireworks_pcm.c b/sound/firewire/fireworks/fireworks_pcm.c
index 8a34753de210..c30b2ffa8dfb 100644
--- a/sound/firewire/fireworks/fireworks_pcm.c
+++ b/sound/firewire/fireworks/fireworks_pcm.c
@@ -244,25 +244,35 @@ static int pcm_capture_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				 struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_efw *efw = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN)
 		atomic_inc(&efw->capture_substreams);
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&efw->tx_stream, params_format(hw_params));
 
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	return 0;
 }
 static int pcm_playback_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				  struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_efw *efw = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN)
 		atomic_inc(&efw->playback_substreams);
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&efw->rx_stream, params_format(hw_params));
 
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int pcm_capture_hw_free(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
diff --git a/sound/firewire/oxfw/oxfw-pcm.c b/sound/firewire/oxfw/oxfw-pcm.c
index 67ade0775a5b..9c73930d0278 100644
--- a/sound/firewire/oxfw/oxfw-pcm.c
+++ b/sound/firewire/oxfw/oxfw-pcm.c
@@ -231,7 +231,12 @@ static int pcm_capture_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				 struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_oxfw *oxfw = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
 
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN) {
 		mutex_lock(&oxfw->mutex);
@@ -241,13 +246,18 @@ static int pcm_capture_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&oxfw->tx_stream, params_format(hw_params));
 
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	return 0;
 }
 static int pcm_playback_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				  struct snd_pcm_hw_params *hw_params)
 {
 	struct snd_oxfw *oxfw = substream->private_data;
+	int err;
+
+	err = snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
+					       params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
 	if (substream->runtime->status->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN) {
 		mutex_lock(&oxfw->mutex);
@@ -257,8 +267,7 @@ static int pcm_playback_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 
 	amdtp_stream_set_pcm_format(&oxfw->rx_stream, params_format(hw_params));
 
-	return snd_pcm_lib_alloc_vmalloc_buffer(substream,
-						params_buffer_bytes(hw_params));
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int pcm_capture_hw_free(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)