diff --git a/sound/usb/caiaq/caiaq-device.c b/sound/usb/caiaq/caiaq-device.c
index 63a2c1d..55a9075 100644
--- a/sound/usb/caiaq/caiaq-device.c
+++ b/sound/usb/caiaq/caiaq-device.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@
 		log("Unable to set up control system (ret=%d)\n", ret);
 }
 
-static struct snd_card* create_card(struct usb_device* usb_dev)
+static int create_card(struct usb_device* usb_dev, struct snd_card **cardp)
 {
 	int devnum;
 	int err;
@@ -348,12 +348,12 @@
 			break;
 
 	if (devnum >= SNDRV_CARDS)
-		return NULL;
+		return -ENODEV;
 
 	err = snd_card_create(index[devnum], id[devnum], THIS_MODULE, 
 			      sizeof(struct snd_usb_caiaqdev), &card);
 	if (err < 0)
-		return NULL;
+		return err;
 
 	dev = caiaqdev(card);
 	dev->chip.dev = usb_dev;
@@ -363,7 +363,8 @@
 	spin_lock_init(&dev->spinlock);
 	snd_card_set_dev(card, &usb_dev->dev);
 
-	return card;
+	*cardp = card;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int __devinit init_card(struct snd_usb_caiaqdev *dev)
@@ -442,10 +443,10 @@
 	struct snd_card *card;
 	struct usb_device *device = interface_to_usbdev(intf);
 	
-	card = create_card(device);
+	ret = create_card(device, &card);
 	
-	if (!card)
-		return -ENOMEM;
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
 			
 	usb_set_intfdata(intf, card);
 	ret = init_card(caiaqdev(card));
diff --git a/sound/usb/usx2y/us122l.c b/sound/usb/usx2y/us122l.c
index b21bb47..98276aa 100644
--- a/sound/usb/usx2y/us122l.c
+++ b/sound/usb/usx2y/us122l.c
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@
 	return true;
 }
 
-static struct snd_card *usx2y_create_card(struct usb_device *device)
+static int usx2y_create_card(struct usb_device *device, struct snd_card **cardp)
 {
 	int		dev;
 	struct snd_card *card;
@@ -488,11 +488,11 @@
 		if (enable[dev] && !snd_us122l_card_used[dev])
 			break;
 	if (dev >= SNDRV_CARDS)
-		return NULL;
+		return -ENODEV;
 	err = snd_card_create(index[dev], id[dev], THIS_MODULE,
 			      sizeof(struct us122l), &card);
 	if (err < 0)
-		return NULL;
+		return err;
 	snd_us122l_card_used[US122L(card)->chip.index = dev] = 1;
 
 	US122L(card)->chip.dev = device;
@@ -511,46 +511,57 @@
 		US122L(card)->chip.dev->devnum
 		);
 	snd_card_set_dev(card, &device->dev);
-	return card;
+	*cardp = card;
+	return 0;
 }
 
-static void *us122l_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
-			      const struct usb_device_id *device_id)
+static int us122l_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
+			    const struct usb_device_id *device_id,
+			    struct snd_card **cardp)
 {
 	struct usb_device *device = interface_to_usbdev(intf);
-	struct snd_card *card = usx2y_create_card(device);
+	struct snd_card *card;
+	int err;
 
-	if (!card)
-		return NULL;
+	err = usx2y_create_card(device, &card);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 
-	if (!us122l_create_card(card) ||
-	    snd_card_register(card) < 0) {
+	if (!us122l_create_card(card)) {
 		snd_card_free(card);
-		return NULL;
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	err = snd_card_register(card);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		snd_card_free(card);
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	usb_get_dev(device);
-	return card;
+	*cardp = card;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int snd_us122l_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 			    const struct usb_device_id *id)
 {
 	struct snd_card *card;
+	int err;
+
 	snd_printdd(KERN_DEBUG"%p:%i\n",
 		    intf, intf->cur_altsetting->desc.bInterfaceNumber);
 	if (intf->cur_altsetting->desc.bInterfaceNumber != 1)
 		return 0;
 
-	card = us122l_usb_probe(usb_get_intf(intf), id);
-
-	if (card) {
-		usb_set_intfdata(intf, card);
-		return 0;
+	err = us122l_usb_probe(usb_get_intf(intf), id, &card);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		usb_put_intf(intf);
+		return err;
 	}
 
-	usb_put_intf(intf);
-	return -EIO;
+	usb_set_intfdata(intf, card);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void snd_us122l_disconnect(struct usb_interface *intf)
diff --git a/sound/usb/usx2y/usbusx2y.c b/sound/usb/usx2y/usbusx2y.c
index b848a18..af8b849 100644
--- a/sound/usb/usx2y/usbusx2y.c
+++ b/sound/usb/usx2y/usbusx2y.c
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@
 	{ /* terminator */ }
 };
 
-static struct snd_card *usX2Y_create_card(struct usb_device *device)
+static int usX2Y_create_card(struct usb_device *device, struct snd_card **cardp)
 {
 	int		dev;
 	struct snd_card *	card;
@@ -343,11 +343,11 @@
 		if (enable[dev] && !snd_usX2Y_card_used[dev])
 			break;
 	if (dev >= SNDRV_CARDS)
-		return NULL;
+		return -ENODEV;
 	err = snd_card_create(index[dev], id[dev], THIS_MODULE,
 			      sizeof(struct usX2Ydev), &card);
 	if (err < 0)
-		return NULL;
+		return err;
 	snd_usX2Y_card_used[usX2Y(card)->chip.index = dev] = 1;
 	card->private_free = snd_usX2Y_card_private_free;
 	usX2Y(card)->chip.dev = device;
@@ -365,26 +365,36 @@
 		usX2Y(card)->chip.dev->bus->busnum, usX2Y(card)->chip.dev->devnum
 		);
 	snd_card_set_dev(card, &device->dev);
-	return card;
+	*cardp = card;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 
-static void *usX2Y_usb_probe(struct usb_device *device, struct usb_interface *intf, const struct usb_device_id *device_id)
+static int usX2Y_usb_probe(struct usb_device *device,
+			   struct usb_interface *intf,
+			   const struct usb_device_id *device_id,
+			   struct snd_card **cardp)
 {
 	int		err;
 	struct snd_card *	card;
+
+	*cardp = NULL;
 	if (le16_to_cpu(device->descriptor.idVendor) != 0x1604 ||
 	    (le16_to_cpu(device->descriptor.idProduct) != USB_ID_US122 &&
 	     le16_to_cpu(device->descriptor.idProduct) != USB_ID_US224 &&
-	     le16_to_cpu(device->descriptor.idProduct) != USB_ID_US428) ||
-	    !(card = usX2Y_create_card(device)))
-		return NULL;
+	     le16_to_cpu(device->descriptor.idProduct) != USB_ID_US428))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	err = usX2Y_create_card(device, &card);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
 	if ((err = usX2Y_hwdep_new(card, device)) < 0  ||
 	    (err = snd_card_register(card)) < 0) {
 		snd_card_free(card);
-		return NULL;
+		return err;
 	}
-	return card;
+	*cardp = card;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -392,13 +402,14 @@
  */
 static int snd_usX2Y_probe(struct usb_interface *intf, const struct usb_device_id *id)
 {
-	void *chip;
-	chip = usX2Y_usb_probe(interface_to_usbdev(intf), intf, id);
-	if (chip) {
-		usb_set_intfdata(intf, chip);
-		return 0;
-	} else
-		return -EIO;
+	struct snd_card *card;
+	int err;
+
+	err = usX2Y_usb_probe(interface_to_usbdev(intf), intf, id, &card);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
+	dev_set_drvdata(&intf->dev, card);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void snd_usX2Y_disconnect(struct usb_interface *intf)