diff --git a/sound/sound_core.c b/sound/sound_core.c
index 40ad000c2e3c..dd64c4b19f23 100644
--- a/sound/sound_core.c
+++ b/sound/sound_core.c
@@ -280,7 +280,8 @@ retry:
 				goto retry;
 			}
 			spin_unlock(&sound_loader_lock);
-			return -EBUSY;
+			r = -EBUSY;
+			goto fail;
 		}
 	}