diff --git a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c
index 6efb9029381b..7ae6e502da66 100644
--- a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c
+++ b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c
@@ -3339,26 +3339,6 @@ static int em28xx_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *interface,
 
 		em28xx_info("dvb set to %s mode.\n",
 			    dev->dvb_xfer_bulk ? "bulk" : "isoc");
-
-		/* pre-allocate DVB usb transfer buffers */
-		if (dev->dvb_xfer_bulk) {
-			retval = em28xx_alloc_urbs(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE,
-					    dev->dvb_xfer_bulk,
-					    EM28XX_DVB_NUM_BUFS,
-					    512,
-					    EM28XX_DVB_BULK_PACKET_MULTIPLIER);
-		} else {
-			retval = em28xx_alloc_urbs(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE,
-					    dev->dvb_xfer_bulk,
-					    EM28XX_DVB_NUM_BUFS,
-					    dev->dvb_max_pkt_size_isoc,
-					    EM28XX_DVB_NUM_ISOC_PACKETS);
-		}
-		if (retval) {
-			printk(DRIVER_NAME
-			       ": Failed to pre-allocate USB transfer buffers for DVB.\n");
-			goto err_free;
-		}
 	}
 
 	request_modules(dev);
@@ -3416,7 +3396,6 @@ static void em28xx_usb_disconnect(struct usb_interface *interface)
 			    video_device_node_name(dev->vdev));
 
 		em28xx_uninit_usb_xfer(dev, EM28XX_ANALOG_MODE);
-		em28xx_uninit_usb_xfer(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE);
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&dev->lock);
 
diff --git a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-dvb.c b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-dvb.c
index 7dba17576edf..5ea563e3f0e4 100644
--- a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-dvb.c
+++ b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-dvb.c
@@ -1018,6 +1018,27 @@ static int em28xx_dvb_init(struct em28xx *dev)
 	dev->dvb = dvb;
 	dvb->fe[0] = dvb->fe[1] = NULL;
 
+	/* pre-allocate DVB usb transfer buffers */
+	if (dev->dvb_xfer_bulk) {
+		result = em28xx_alloc_urbs(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE,
+					   dev->dvb_xfer_bulk,
+					   EM28XX_DVB_NUM_BUFS,
+					   512,
+					   EM28XX_DVB_BULK_PACKET_MULTIPLIER);
+	} else {
+		result = em28xx_alloc_urbs(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE,
+					   dev->dvb_xfer_bulk,
+					   EM28XX_DVB_NUM_BUFS,
+					   dev->dvb_max_pkt_size_isoc,
+					   EM28XX_DVB_NUM_ISOC_PACKETS);
+	}
+	if (result) {
+		em28xx_errdev("em28xx_dvb: failed to pre-allocate USB transfer buffers for DVB.\n");
+		kfree(dvb);
+		dev->dvb = NULL;
+		return result;
+	}
+
 	mutex_lock(&dev->lock);
 	em28xx_set_mode(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE);
 	/* init frontend */
@@ -1454,6 +1475,8 @@ static int em28xx_dvb_fini(struct em28xx *dev)
 	if (dev->dvb) {
 		struct em28xx_dvb *dvb = dev->dvb;
 
+		em28xx_uninit_usb_xfer(dev, EM28XX_DIGITAL_MODE);
+
 		if (dev->disconnected) {
 			/* We cannot tell the device to sleep
 			 * once it has been unplugged. */