diff --git a/include/sound/soc.h b/include/sound/soc.h
index b8163ddf94d2..9e238fa2eb17 100644
--- a/include/sound/soc.h
+++ b/include/sound/soc.h
@@ -896,7 +896,6 @@ struct snd_soc_pcm_runtime {
 	enum snd_soc_pcm_subclass pcm_subclass;
 	struct snd_pcm_ops ops;
 
-	unsigned int complete:1;
 	unsigned int dev_registered:1;
 
 	long pmdown_time;
diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-core.c b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
index 61b51b673d49..cab72f87c194 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-core.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_soc_debugfs_root);
 #endif
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(client_mutex);
-static LIST_HEAD(card_list);
 static LIST_HEAD(dai_list);
 static LIST_HEAD(platform_list);
 static LIST_HEAD(codec_list);
@@ -785,15 +784,9 @@ static int soc_bind_dai_link(struct snd_soc_card *card, int num)
 	struct snd_soc_dai *codec_dai, *cpu_dai;
 	const char *platform_name;
 
-	if (rtd->complete)
-		return 1;
 	dev_dbg(card->dev, "binding %s at idx %d\n", dai_link->name, num);
 
-	/* do we already have the CPU DAI for this link ? */
-	if (rtd->cpu_dai) {
-		goto find_codec;
-	}
-	/* no, then find CPU DAI from registered DAIs*/
+	/* Find CPU DAI from registered DAIs*/
 	list_for_each_entry(cpu_dai, &dai_list, list) {
 		if (dai_link->cpu_dai_of_node) {
 			if (cpu_dai->dev->of_node != dai_link->cpu_dai_of_node)
@@ -804,18 +797,15 @@ static int soc_bind_dai_link(struct snd_soc_card *card, int num)
 		}
 
 		rtd->cpu_dai = cpu_dai;
-		goto find_codec;
 	}
-	dev_dbg(card->dev, "CPU DAI %s not registered\n",
+
+	if (!rtd->cpu_dai) {
+		dev_dbg(card->dev, "CPU DAI %s not registered\n",
 			dai_link->cpu_dai_name);
-
-find_codec:
-	/* do we already have the CODEC for this link ? */
-	if (rtd->codec) {
-		goto find_platform;
+		return -EPROBE_DEFER;
 	}
 
-	/* no, then find CODEC from registered CODECs*/
+	/* Find CODEC from registered CODECs */
 	list_for_each_entry(codec, &codec_list, list) {
 		if (dai_link->codec_of_node) {
 			if (codec->dev->of_node != dai_link->codec_of_node)
@@ -837,28 +827,28 @@ find_codec:
 					dai_link->codec_dai_name)) {
 
 				rtd->codec_dai = codec_dai;
-				goto find_platform;
 			}
 		}
-		dev_dbg(card->dev, "CODEC DAI %s not registered\n",
+
+		if (!rtd->codec_dai) {
+			dev_dbg(card->dev, "CODEC DAI %s not registered\n",
 				dai_link->codec_dai_name);
-
-		goto find_platform;
+			return -EPROBE_DEFER;
+		}
 	}
-	dev_dbg(card->dev, "CODEC %s not registered\n",
-			dai_link->codec_name);
 
-find_platform:
-	/* do we need a platform? */
-	if (rtd->platform)
-		goto out;
+	if (!rtd->codec) {
+		dev_dbg(card->dev, "CODEC %s not registered\n",
+			dai_link->codec_name);
+		return -EPROBE_DEFER;
+	}
 
 	/* if there's no platform we match on the empty platform */
 	platform_name = dai_link->platform_name;
 	if (!platform_name && !dai_link->platform_of_node)
 		platform_name = "snd-soc-dummy";
 
-	/* no, then find one from the set of registered platforms */
+	/* find one from the set of registered platforms */
 	list_for_each_entry(platform, &platform_list, list) {
 		if (dai_link->platform_of_node) {
 			if (platform->dev->of_node !=
@@ -870,20 +860,16 @@ find_platform:
 		}
 
 		rtd->platform = platform;
-		goto out;
 	}
-
-	dev_dbg(card->dev, "platform %s not registered\n",
+	if (!rtd->platform) {
+		dev_dbg(card->dev, "platform %s not registered\n",
 			dai_link->platform_name);
-	return 0;
-
-out:
-	/* mark rtd as complete if we found all 4 of our client devices */
-	if (rtd->codec && rtd->codec_dai && rtd->platform && rtd->cpu_dai) {
-		rtd->complete = 1;
-		card->num_rtd++;
+		return -EPROBE_DEFER;
 	}
-	return 1;
+
+	card->num_rtd++;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void soc_remove_codec(struct snd_soc_codec *codec)
@@ -1346,6 +1332,20 @@ static void soc_unregister_ac97_dai_link(struct snd_soc_codec *codec)
 }
 #endif
 
+static int soc_check_aux_dev(struct snd_soc_card *card, int num)
+{
+	struct snd_soc_aux_dev *aux_dev = &card->aux_dev[num];
+	struct snd_soc_codec *codec;
+
+	/* find CODEC from registered CODECs*/
+	list_for_each_entry(codec, &codec_list, list) {
+		if (!strcmp(codec->name, aux_dev->codec_name))
+			return 0;
+	}
+
+	return -EPROBE_DEFER;
+}
+
 static int soc_probe_aux_dev(struct snd_soc_card *card, int num)
 {
 	struct snd_soc_aux_dev *aux_dev = &card->aux_dev[num];
@@ -1366,7 +1366,7 @@ static int soc_probe_aux_dev(struct snd_soc_card *card, int num)
 	}
 	/* codec not found */
 	dev_err(card->dev, "asoc: codec %s not found", aux_dev->codec_name);
-	goto out;
+	return -EPROBE_DEFER;
 
 found:
 	ret = soc_probe_codec(card, codec);
@@ -1416,7 +1416,7 @@ static int snd_soc_init_codec_cache(struct snd_soc_codec *codec,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void snd_soc_instantiate_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
+static int snd_soc_instantiate_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 {
 	struct snd_soc_codec *codec;
 	struct snd_soc_codec_conf *codec_conf;
@@ -1426,19 +1426,18 @@ static void snd_soc_instantiate_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 
 	mutex_lock_nested(&card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_INIT);
 
-	if (card->instantiated) {
-		mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
-		return;
+	/* bind DAIs */
+	for (i = 0; i < card->num_links; i++) {
+		ret = soc_bind_dai_link(card, i);
+		if (ret != 0)
+			goto base_error;
 	}
 
-	/* bind DAIs */
-	for (i = 0; i < card->num_links; i++)
-		soc_bind_dai_link(card, i);
-
-	/* bind completed ? */
-	if (card->num_rtd != card->num_links) {
-		mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
-		return;
+	/* check aux_devs too */
+	for (i = 0; i < card->num_aux_devs; i++) {
+		ret = soc_check_aux_dev(card, i);
+		if (ret != 0)
+			goto base_error;
 	}
 
 	/* initialize the register cache for each available codec */
@@ -1458,10 +1457,8 @@ static void snd_soc_instantiate_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 			}
 		}
 		ret = snd_soc_init_codec_cache(codec, compress_type);
-		if (ret < 0) {
-			mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
-			return;
-		}
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto base_error;
 	}
 
 	/* card bind complete so register a sound card */
@@ -1470,8 +1467,7 @@ static void snd_soc_instantiate_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		pr_err("asoc: can't create sound card for card %s: %d\n",
 			card->name, ret);
-		mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
-		return;
+		goto base_error;
 	}
 	card->snd_card->dev = card->dev;
 
@@ -1611,7 +1607,8 @@ static void snd_soc_instantiate_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 	card->instantiated = 1;
 	snd_soc_dapm_sync(&card->dapm);
 	mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
-	return;
+
+	return 0;
 
 probe_aux_dev_err:
 	for (i = 0; i < card->num_aux_devs; i++)
@@ -1626,18 +1623,10 @@ card_probe_error:
 
 	snd_card_free(card->snd_card);
 
+base_error:
 	mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
-}
 
-/*
- * Attempt to initialise any uninitialised cards.  Must be called with
- * client_mutex.
- */
-static void snd_soc_instantiate_cards(void)
-{
-	struct snd_soc_card *card;
-	list_for_each_entry(card, &card_list, list)
-		snd_soc_instantiate_card(card);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /* probes a new socdev */
@@ -3072,7 +3061,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_soc_dai_digital_mute);
  */
 int snd_soc_register_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, ret;
 
 	if (!card->name || !card->dev)
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -3136,14 +3125,11 @@ int snd_soc_register_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 	mutex_init(&card->mutex);
 	mutex_init(&card->dapm_mutex);
 
-	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
-	list_add(&card->list, &card_list);
-	snd_soc_instantiate_cards();
-	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
+	ret = snd_soc_instantiate_card(card);
+	if (ret != 0)
+		soc_cleanup_card_debugfs(card);
 
-	dev_dbg(card->dev, "Registered card '%s'\n", card->name);
-
-	return 0;
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_soc_register_card);
 
@@ -3157,9 +3143,6 @@ int snd_soc_unregister_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 {
 	if (card->instantiated)
 		soc_cleanup_card_resources(card);
-	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
-	list_del(&card->list);
-	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
 	dev_dbg(card->dev, "Unregistered card '%s'\n", card->name);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -3256,7 +3239,6 @@ int snd_soc_register_dai(struct device *dev,
 
 	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
 	list_add(&dai->list, &dai_list);
-	snd_soc_instantiate_cards();
 	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
 
 	pr_debug("Registered DAI '%s'\n", dai->name);
@@ -3338,9 +3320,6 @@ int snd_soc_register_dais(struct device *dev,
 		pr_debug("Registered DAI '%s'\n", dai->name);
 	}
 
-	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
-	snd_soc_instantiate_cards();
-	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
 	return 0;
 
 err:
@@ -3398,7 +3377,6 @@ int snd_soc_register_platform(struct device *dev,
 
 	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
 	list_add(&platform->list, &platform_list);
-	snd_soc_instantiate_cards();
 	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
 
 	pr_debug("Registered platform '%s'\n", platform->name);
@@ -3557,7 +3535,6 @@ int snd_soc_register_codec(struct device *dev,
 
 	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
 	list_add(&codec->list, &codec_list);
-	snd_soc_instantiate_cards();
 	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
 
 	pr_debug("Registered codec '%s'\n", codec->name);