diff --git a/include/sound/core.h b/include/sound/core.h
index 39d1423..de7a878 100644
--- a/include/sound/core.h
+++ b/include/sound/core.h
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@
 
 void snd_request_card(int card);
 
+void snd_device_initialize(struct device *dev, struct snd_card *card);
+
 int snd_register_device_for_dev(int type, struct snd_card *card, int dev,
 				const struct file_operations *f_ops,
 				void *private_data, struct device *device,
diff --git a/sound/core/init.c b/sound/core/init.c
index 074875d..9619459 100644
--- a/sound/core/init.c
+++ b/sound/core/init.c
@@ -157,6 +157,29 @@
 	return mask; /* unchanged */
 }
 
+/* the default release callback set in snd_device_initialize() below;
+ * this is just NOP for now, as almost all jobs are already done in
+ * dev_free callback of snd_device chain instead.
+ */
+static void default_release(struct device *dev)
+{
+}
+
+/**
+ * snd_device_initialize - Initialize struct device for sound devices
+ * @dev: device to initialize
+ * @card: card to assign, optional
+ */
+void snd_device_initialize(struct device *dev, struct snd_card *card)
+{
+	device_initialize(dev);
+	if (card)
+		dev->parent = &card->card_dev;
+	dev->class = sound_class;
+	dev->release = default_release;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_device_initialize);
+
 static int snd_card_do_free(struct snd_card *card);
 static const struct attribute_group *card_dev_attr_groups[];