diff --git a/sound/isa/Kconfig b/sound/isa/Kconfig
index 4e3a972..c855e35 100644
--- a/sound/isa/Kconfig
+++ b/sound/isa/Kconfig
@@ -358,12 +358,21 @@
 config SND_SB16_CSP
 	bool "Sound Blaster 16/AWE CSP support"
 	depends on (SND_SB16 || SND_SBAWE) && (BROKEN || !PPC)
-	select FW_LOADER
 	help
 	  Say Y here to include support for the CSP core.  This special
 	  coprocessor can do variable tasks like various compression and
 	  decompression algorithms.
 
+config SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+	bool "In-kernel firmware for SB16 CSP"
+	depends on SND_SB16_CSP
+	select FW_LOADER
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+	  for SB16 CSP controller.  If you choose N here, the external
+	  firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_SGALAXY
 	tristate "Aztech Sound Galaxy"
 	depends on SND
@@ -391,7 +400,6 @@
 config SND_WAVEFRONT
 	tristate "Turtle Beach Maui,Tropez,Tropez+ (Wavefront)"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
 	select SND_OPL3_LIB
 	select SND_MPU401_UART
 	select SND_CS4231_LIB
@@ -402,4 +410,14 @@
 	  To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
 	  will be called snd-wavefront.
 
+config SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+	bool "In-kernel firmware for Wavefront"
+	depends on SND_WAVEFRONT
+	select FW_LOADER
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+	  for Wavefront driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+	  firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 endmenu
diff --git a/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c b/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c
index 3d9d7e0..ef71e50 100644
--- a/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c
+++ b/sound/isa/sb/sb16_csp.c
@@ -690,9 +690,7 @@
 	return err;
 }
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 #include "sb16_csp_codecs.h"
 
 static const struct firmware snd_sb_csp_static_programs[] = {
@@ -724,7 +722,7 @@
 		if (err >= 0)
 			p->csp_programs[index] = program;
 		else {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_SB16_CSP_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 			program = &snd_sb_csp_static_programs[index];
 #else
 			return err;
diff --git a/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_fx.c b/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_fx.c
index 15331ed..3a8c056 100644
--- a/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_fx.c
+++ b/sound/isa/wavefront/wavefront_fx.c
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@
 
 #define WAIT_IDLE	0xff
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 #include "yss225.c"
 static const struct firmware yss225_registers_firmware = {
 	.data = (u8 *)yss225_registers,
@@ -266,7 +264,7 @@
 	err = request_firmware(&firmware, "yamaha/yss225_registers.bin",
 			       dev->card->dev);
 	if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		firmware = &yss225_registers_firmware;
 #else
 		err = -1;
@@ -295,7 +293,7 @@
 	err = 0;
 
 out:
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_WAVEFRONT_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	if (firmware != &yss225_registers_firmware)
 #endif
 		release_firmware(firmware);
diff --git a/sound/pci/Kconfig b/sound/pci/Kconfig
index 1bcfb3a..12dfda3 100644
--- a/sound/pci/Kconfig
+++ b/sound/pci/Kconfig
@@ -576,7 +576,6 @@
 config SND_KORG1212
 	tristate "Korg 1212 IO"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
 	select SND_PCM
 	help
 	  Say Y here to include support for Korg 1212IO soundcards.
@@ -584,6 +583,16 @@
 	  To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
 	  will be called snd-korg1212.
 
+config SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+	bool "In-kernel firmware for Korg1212 driver"
+	depends on SND_KORG1212
+	select FW_LOADER
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+	  for Korg1212 driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+	  firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_MAESTRO3
 	tristate "ESS Allegro/Maestro3"
 	depends on SND
@@ -596,6 +605,16 @@
 	  To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
 	  will be called snd-maestro3.
 
+config SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+	bool "In-kernel firmware for Maestro3 driver"
+	depends on SND_MAESTRO3
+	select FW_LOADER
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+	  for Maestro3 driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+	  firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_MIXART
 	tristate "Digigram miXart"
 	depends on SND
@@ -737,7 +756,6 @@
 config SND_YMFPCI
 	tristate "Yamaha YMF724/740/744/754"
 	depends on SND
-	select FW_LOADER
 	select SND_OPL3_LIB
 	select SND_MPU401_UART
 	select SND_AC97_CODEC
@@ -748,6 +766,16 @@
 	  To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the module
 	  will be called snd-ymfpci.
 
+config SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
+	bool "In-kernel firmware for YMFPCI driver"
+	depends on SND_YMFPCI
+	select FW_LOADER
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say Y here to include the static firmware built in the kernel
+	  for YMFPCI driver.  If you choose N here, the external
+	  firmware files from alsa-plugins pacakge are necessary.
+
 config SND_AC97_POWER_SAVE
 	bool "AC97 Power-Saving Mode"
 	depends on SND_AC97_CODEC && EXPERIMENTAL
diff --git a/sound/pci/korg1212/korg1212.c b/sound/pci/korg1212/korg1212.c
index 21d0899a..e2e59ca 100644
--- a/sound/pci/korg1212/korg1212.c
+++ b/sound/pci/korg1212/korg1212.c
@@ -264,9 +264,7 @@
 #define COMMAND_ACK_DELAY   13         // number of RTC ticks to wait for an acknowledgement
                                        //    from the card after sending a command.
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 #include "korg1212-firmware.h"
 static const struct firmware static_dsp_code = {
 	.data = (u8 *)dspCode,
@@ -2345,7 +2343,7 @@
 	err = request_firmware(&dsp_code, "korg/k1212.dsp", &pci->dev);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		release_firmware(dsp_code);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		dsp_code = &static_dsp_code;
 #else
 		snd_printk(KERN_ERR "firmware not available\n");
@@ -2358,7 +2356,7 @@
 				dsp_code->size, &korg1212->dma_dsp) < 0) {
 		snd_printk(KERN_ERR "korg1212: cannot allocate dsp code memory (%zd bytes)\n", dsp_code->size);
                 snd_korg1212_free(korg1212);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		if (dsp_code != &static_dsp_code)
 #endif
 			release_firmware(dsp_code);
@@ -2371,7 +2369,7 @@
 
 	memcpy(korg1212->dma_dsp.area, dsp_code->data, dsp_code->size);
 
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_KORG1212_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	if (dsp_code != &static_dsp_code)
 #endif
 		release_firmware(dsp_code);
diff --git a/sound/pci/maestro3.c b/sound/pci/maestro3.c
index 4526904..9badbb3 100644
--- a/sound/pci/maestro3.c
+++ b/sound/pci/maestro3.c
@@ -2101,9 +2101,7 @@
 }
 
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 
 /*
  * DSP Code images
@@ -2242,7 +2240,7 @@
 	.size = sizeof assp_minisrc_image
 };
 
-#endif /* FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL */
+#endif /* CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL */
 
 #ifdef __LITTLE_ENDIAN
 static inline void snd_m3_convert_from_le(const struct firmware *fw) { }
@@ -2550,11 +2548,11 @@
 	if (chip->iobase)
 		pci_release_regions(chip->pci);
 
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	if (chip->assp_kernel_image != &assp_kernel)
 #endif
 		release_firmware(chip->assp_kernel_image);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	if (chip->assp_minisrc_image != &assp_minisrc)
 #endif
 		release_firmware(chip->assp_minisrc_image);
@@ -2750,7 +2748,7 @@
 	err = request_firmware(&chip->assp_kernel_image,
 			       "ess/maestro3_assp_kernel.fw", &pci->dev);
 	if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		chip->assp_kernel_image = &assp_kernel;
 #else
 		snd_m3_free(chip);
@@ -2762,7 +2760,7 @@
 	err = request_firmware(&chip->assp_minisrc_image,
 			       "ess/maestro3_assp_minisrc.fw", &pci->dev);
 	if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		chip->assp_minisrc_image = &assp_minisrc;
 #else
 		snd_m3_free(chip);
diff --git a/sound/pci/ymfpci/ymfpci_main.c b/sound/pci/ymfpci/ymfpci_main.c
index fd12674..b34c3bc 100644
--- a/sound/pci/ymfpci/ymfpci_main.c
+++ b/sound/pci/ymfpci/ymfpci_main.c
@@ -1998,9 +1998,7 @@
 	}
 }
 
-#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
-
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 
 #include "ymfpci_image.h"
 
@@ -2047,7 +2045,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 	if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		chip->dsp_microcode = &snd_ymfpci_dsp_microcode;
 #else
 		return err;
@@ -2070,7 +2068,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 	if (err < 0) {
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 		chip->controller_microcode =
 			is_1e ? &snd_ymfpci_controller_1e_microcode
 			      : &snd_ymfpci_controller_microcode;
@@ -2259,11 +2257,11 @@
 	pci_write_config_word(chip->pci, 0x40, chip->old_legacy_ctrl);
 	
 	pci_disable_device(chip->pci);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	if (chip->dsp_microcode != &snd_ymfpci_dsp_microcode)
 #endif
 		release_firmware(chip->dsp_microcode);
-#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+#ifdef CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL
 	if (chip->controller_microcode != &snd_ymfpci_controller_microcode &&
 	    chip->controller_microcode != &snd_ymfpci_controller_1e_microcode)
 #endif