diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.c b/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.c
index 6e9ef3e25093..f7520b9f909c 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.c
@@ -618,7 +618,6 @@ int snd_hda_gen_add_verbs(struct hda_gen_spec *spec,
 			  const struct hda_verb *list)
 {
 	const struct hda_verb **v;
-	snd_array_init(&spec->verbs, sizeof(struct hda_verb *), 8);
 	v = snd_array_new(&spec->verbs);
 	if (!v)
 		return -ENOMEM;
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.h b/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.h
index 2a7889dfbd1b..632ad0ad3007 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.h
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/hda_auto_parser.h
@@ -157,4 +157,14 @@ void snd_hda_pick_fixup(struct hda_codec *codec,
 			const struct snd_pci_quirk *quirk,
 			const struct hda_fixup *fixlist);
 
+static inline void snd_hda_gen_init(struct hda_gen_spec *spec)
+{
+	snd_array_init(&spec->verbs, sizeof(struct hda_verb *), 8);
+}
+
+static inline void snd_hda_gen_free(struct hda_gen_spec *spec)
+{
+	snd_array_free(&spec->verbs);
+}
+
 #endif /* __SOUND_HDA_AUTO_PARSER_H */
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/patch_conexant.c b/sound/pci/hda/patch_conexant.c
index 2af0868f78ad..2bf99fc1cbf2 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/patch_conexant.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/patch_conexant.c
@@ -445,8 +445,10 @@ static int conexant_init(struct hda_codec *codec)
 
 static void conexant_free(struct hda_codec *codec)
 {
+	struct conexant_spec *spec = codec->spec;
+	snd_hda_gen_free(&spec->gen);
 	snd_hda_detach_beep_device(codec);
-	kfree(codec->spec);
+	kfree(spec);
 }
 
 static const struct snd_kcontrol_new cxt_capture_mixers[] = {
@@ -4498,6 +4500,7 @@ static int patch_conexant_auto(struct hda_codec *codec)
 	if (!spec)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	codec->spec = spec;
+	snd_hda_gen_init(&spec->gen);
 
 	switch (codec->vendor_id) {
 	case 0x14f15045:
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c b/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
index a5534b384609..5ccf10a4d593 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
@@ -2289,6 +2289,7 @@ static void alc_free(struct hda_codec *codec)
 	alc_shutup(codec);
 	alc_free_kctls(codec);
 	alc_free_bind_ctls(codec);
+	snd_hda_gen_free(&spec->gen);
 	kfree(spec);
 	snd_hda_detach_beep_device(codec);
 }
@@ -4253,6 +4254,7 @@ static int alc_alloc_spec(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t mixer_nid)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	codec->spec = spec;
 	spec->mixer_nid = mixer_nid;
+	snd_hda_gen_init(&spec->gen);
 
 	err = alc_codec_rename_from_preset(codec);
 	if (err < 0) {