diff --git a/include/sound/core.h b/include/sound/core.h
index 5f181b875c2f..36a5934cf4b1 100644
--- a/include/sound/core.h
+++ b/include/sound/core.h
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ struct completion;
  */
 enum snd_device_type {
 	SNDRV_DEV_LOWLEVEL,
-	SNDRV_DEV_CONTROL,
 	SNDRV_DEV_INFO,
 	SNDRV_DEV_BUS,
 	SNDRV_DEV_CODEC,
@@ -62,6 +61,7 @@ enum snd_device_type {
 	SNDRV_DEV_SEQUENCER,
 	SNDRV_DEV_HWDEP,
 	SNDRV_DEV_JACK,
+	SNDRV_DEV_CONTROL,	/* NOTE: this must be the last one */
 };
 
 enum snd_device_state {
diff --git a/sound/core/device.c b/sound/core/device.c
index cb0e46f66cc9..535102d564e3 100644
--- a/sound/core/device.c
+++ b/sound/core/device.c
@@ -240,6 +240,15 @@ void snd_device_free_all(struct snd_card *card)
 
 	if (snd_BUG_ON(!card))
 		return;
+	list_for_each_entry_safe_reverse(dev, next, &card->devices, list) {
+		/* exception: free ctl and lowlevel stuff later */
+		if (dev->type == SNDRV_DEV_CONTROL ||
+		    dev->type == SNDRV_DEV_LOWLEVEL)
+			continue;
+		__snd_device_free(dev);
+	}
+
+	/* free all */
 	list_for_each_entry_safe_reverse(dev, next, &card->devices, list)
 		__snd_device_free(dev);
 }