diff --git a/sound/core/pcm.c b/sound/core/pcm.c
index 283aac441fa0..0b512085eb63 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm.c
@@ -328,13 +328,13 @@ static const char *snd_pcm_oss_format_name(int format)
 static void snd_pcm_proc_info_read(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				   struct snd_info_buffer *buffer)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_info *info __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err;
 
 	if (! substream)
 		return;
 
-	info = kmalloc(sizeof(*info), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct snd_pcm_info *info __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc(sizeof(*info), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!info)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_compat.c b/sound/core/pcm_compat.c
index 54eb9bd8eb21..e86f68f1f23c 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_compat.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_compat.c
@@ -235,7 +235,6 @@ static int snd_pcm_ioctl_hw_params_compat(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 					  int refine, 
 					  struct snd_pcm_hw_params32 __user *data32)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *data __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime;
 	int err;
 
@@ -243,7 +242,8 @@ static int snd_pcm_ioctl_hw_params_compat(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	if (!runtime)
 		return -ENOTTY;
 
-	data = kmalloc(sizeof(*data), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *data __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc(sizeof(*data), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!data)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -332,7 +332,6 @@ static int snd_pcm_ioctl_xfern_compat(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	compat_caddr_t buf;
 	compat_caddr_t __user *bufptr;
 	u32 frames;
-	void __user **bufs __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err, ch, i;
 
 	if (! substream->runtime)
@@ -349,7 +348,9 @@ static int snd_pcm_ioctl_xfern_compat(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	    get_user(frames, &data32->frames))
 		return -EFAULT;
 	bufptr = compat_ptr(buf);
-	bufs = kmalloc_array(ch, sizeof(void __user *), GFP_KERNEL);
+
+	void __user **bufs __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc_array(ch, sizeof(void __user *), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (bufs == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	for (i = 0; i < ch; i++) {
diff --git a/sound/core/pcm_native.c b/sound/core/pcm_native.c
index 68bee40c9ada..4352c0a40f8d 100644
--- a/sound/core/pcm_native.c
+++ b/sound/core/pcm_native.c
@@ -242,10 +242,10 @@ int snd_pcm_info(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream, struct snd_pcm_info *info)
 int snd_pcm_info_user(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 		      struct snd_pcm_info __user * _info)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_info *info __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err;
+	struct snd_pcm_info *info __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc(sizeof(*info), GFP_KERNEL);
 
-	info = kmalloc(sizeof(*info), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (! info)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	err = snd_pcm_info(substream, info);
@@ -364,7 +364,6 @@ static int constrain_params_by_rules(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	struct snd_pcm_hw_constraints *constrs =
 					&substream->runtime->hw_constraints;
 	unsigned int k;
-	unsigned int *rstamps __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	unsigned int vstamps[SNDRV_PCM_HW_PARAM_LAST_INTERVAL + 1];
 	unsigned int stamp;
 	struct snd_pcm_hw_rule *r;
@@ -380,7 +379,8 @@ static int constrain_params_by_rules(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	 * Each member of 'rstamps' array represents the sequence number of
 	 * recent application of corresponding rule.
 	 */
-	rstamps = kcalloc(constrs->rules_num, sizeof(unsigned int), GFP_KERNEL);
+	unsigned int *rstamps __free(kfree) =
+		kcalloc(constrs->rules_num, sizeof(unsigned int), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!rstamps)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -583,10 +583,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_pcm_hw_refine);
 static int snd_pcm_hw_refine_user(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				  struct snd_pcm_hw_params __user * _params)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err;
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) =
+		memdup_user(_params, sizeof(*params));
 
-	params = memdup_user(_params, sizeof(*params));
 	if (IS_ERR(params))
 		return PTR_ERR(params);
 
@@ -884,10 +884,10 @@ static int snd_pcm_hw_params(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 static int snd_pcm_hw_params_user(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				  struct snd_pcm_hw_params __user * _params)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err;
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) =
+		memdup_user(_params, sizeof(*params));
 
-	params = memdup_user(_params, sizeof(*params));
 	if (IS_ERR(params))
 		return PTR_ERR(params);
 
@@ -2262,7 +2262,6 @@ static int snd_pcm_link(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream, int fd)
 {
 	struct snd_pcm_file *pcm_file;
 	struct snd_pcm_substream *substream1;
-	struct snd_pcm_group *group __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	struct snd_pcm_group *target_group;
 	bool nonatomic = substream->pcm->nonatomic;
 	CLASS(fd, f)(fd);
@@ -2278,7 +2277,8 @@ static int snd_pcm_link(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream, int fd)
 	if (substream == substream1)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	group = kzalloc(sizeof(*group), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct snd_pcm_group *group __free(kfree) =
+		kzalloc(sizeof(*group), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!group)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	snd_pcm_group_init(group);
@@ -3286,7 +3286,6 @@ static int snd_pcm_xfern_frames_ioctl(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 {
 	struct snd_xfern xfern;
 	struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime = substream->runtime;
-	void *bufs __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	snd_pcm_sframes_t result;
 
 	if (runtime->state == SNDRV_PCM_STATE_OPEN)
@@ -3298,7 +3297,8 @@ static int snd_pcm_xfern_frames_ioctl(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 	if (copy_from_user(&xfern, _xfern, sizeof(xfern)))
 		return -EFAULT;
 
-	bufs = memdup_array_user(xfern.bufs, runtime->channels, sizeof(void *));
+	void *bufs __free(kfree) =
+		memdup_array_user(xfern.bufs, runtime->channels, sizeof(void *));
 	if (IS_ERR(bufs))
 		return PTR_ERR(bufs);
 	if (substream->stream == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK)
@@ -3572,7 +3572,6 @@ static ssize_t snd_pcm_readv(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *to)
 	struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime;
 	snd_pcm_sframes_t result;
 	unsigned long i;
-	void __user **bufs __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	snd_pcm_uframes_t frames;
 	const struct iovec *iov = iter_iov(to);
 
@@ -3591,7 +3590,9 @@ static ssize_t snd_pcm_readv(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *to)
 	if (!frame_aligned(runtime, iov->iov_len))
 		return -EINVAL;
 	frames = bytes_to_samples(runtime, iov->iov_len);
-	bufs = kmalloc_array(to->nr_segs, sizeof(void *), GFP_KERNEL);
+
+	void __user **bufs __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc_array(to->nr_segs, sizeof(void *), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (bufs == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	for (i = 0; i < to->nr_segs; ++i) {
@@ -3611,7 +3612,6 @@ static ssize_t snd_pcm_writev(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *from)
 	struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime;
 	snd_pcm_sframes_t result;
 	unsigned long i;
-	void __user **bufs __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	snd_pcm_uframes_t frames;
 	const struct iovec *iov = iter_iov(from);
 
@@ -3629,7 +3629,9 @@ static ssize_t snd_pcm_writev(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *from)
 	    !frame_aligned(runtime, iov->iov_len))
 		return -EINVAL;
 	frames = bytes_to_samples(runtime, iov->iov_len);
-	bufs = kmalloc_array(from->nr_segs, sizeof(void *), GFP_KERNEL);
+
+	void __user **bufs __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc_array(from->nr_segs, sizeof(void *), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (bufs == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	for (i = 0; i < from->nr_segs; ++i) {
@@ -4101,15 +4103,15 @@ static void snd_pcm_hw_convert_to_old_params(struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old *opara
 static int snd_pcm_hw_refine_old_user(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				      struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old __user * _oparams)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) = NULL;
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old *oparams __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err;
 
-	params = kmalloc(sizeof(*params), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc(sizeof(*params), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!params)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	oparams = memdup_user(_oparams, sizeof(*oparams));
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old *oparams __free(kfree) =
+		memdup_user(_oparams, sizeof(*oparams));
 	if (IS_ERR(oparams))
 		return PTR_ERR(oparams);
 	snd_pcm_hw_convert_from_old_params(params, oparams);
@@ -4130,15 +4132,15 @@ static int snd_pcm_hw_refine_old_user(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 static int snd_pcm_hw_params_old_user(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream,
 				      struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old __user * _oparams)
 {
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) = NULL;
-	struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old *oparams __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int err;
 
-	params = kmalloc(sizeof(*params), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params *params __free(kfree) =
+		kmalloc(sizeof(*params), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!params)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	oparams = memdup_user(_oparams, sizeof(*oparams));
+	struct snd_pcm_hw_params_old *oparams __free(kfree) =
+		memdup_user(_oparams, sizeof(*oparams));
 	if (IS_ERR(oparams))
 		return PTR_ERR(oparams);