diff --git a/sound/core/timer.c b/sound/core/timer.c
index 59ae21b0bb93..013f0e69ff0f 100644
--- a/sound/core/timer.c
+++ b/sound/core/timer.c
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ static LIST_HEAD(snd_timer_slave_list);
 /* lock for slave active lists */
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(slave_active_lock);
 
+#define MAX_SLAVE_INSTANCES	1000
+static int num_slaves;
+
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(register_mutex);
 
 static int snd_timer_free(struct snd_timer *timer);
@@ -252,6 +255,10 @@ int snd_timer_open(struct snd_timer_instance **ti,
 			err = -EINVAL;
 			goto unlock;
 		}
+		if (num_slaves >= MAX_SLAVE_INSTANCES) {
+			err = -EBUSY;
+			goto unlock;
+		}
 		timeri = snd_timer_instance_new(owner, NULL);
 		if (!timeri) {
 			err = -ENOMEM;
@@ -261,6 +268,7 @@ int snd_timer_open(struct snd_timer_instance **ti,
 		timeri->slave_id = tid->device;
 		timeri->flags |= SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_SLAVE;
 		list_add_tail(&timeri->open_list, &snd_timer_slave_list);
+		num_slaves++;
 		err = snd_timer_check_slave(timeri);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			snd_timer_close_locked(timeri, &card_dev_to_put);
@@ -356,6 +364,8 @@ static int snd_timer_close_locked(struct snd_timer_instance *timeri,
 	}
 
 	list_del(&timeri->open_list);
+	if (timeri->flags & SNDRV_TIMER_IFLG_SLAVE)
+		num_slaves--;
 
 	/* force to stop the timer */
 	snd_timer_stop(timeri);