diff --git a/sound/isa/sb/sb8_midi.c b/sound/isa/sb/sb8_midi.c
index 05ba2c6b1a8c..4affdcb78f72 100644
--- a/sound/isa/sb/sb8_midi.c
+++ b/sound/isa/sb/sb8_midi.c
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ static int snd_sb8dsp_midi_output_close(struct snd_rawmidi_substream *substream)
 	struct snd_sb *chip;
 
 	chip = substream->rmidi->private_data;
+	del_timer_sync(&chip->midi_timer);
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->open_lock, flags);
 	chip->open &= ~(SB_OPEN_MIDI_OUTPUT | SB_OPEN_MIDI_OUTPUT_TRIGGER);
 	chip->midi_substream_output = NULL;
@@ -230,8 +231,6 @@ static void snd_sb8dsp_midi_output_trigger(struct snd_rawmidi_substream *substre
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->open_lock, flags);
 	if (up) {
 		if (!(chip->open & SB_OPEN_MIDI_OUTPUT_TRIGGER)) {
-			timer_setup(&chip->midi_timer,
-				    snd_sb8dsp_midi_output_timer, 0);
 			mod_timer(&chip->midi_timer, 1 + jiffies);
 			chip->open |= SB_OPEN_MIDI_OUTPUT_TRIGGER;
 		}
@@ -274,6 +273,7 @@ int snd_sb8dsp_midi(struct snd_sb *chip, int device)
 	if (chip->hardware >= SB_HW_20)
 		rmidi->info_flags |= SNDRV_RAWMIDI_INFO_DUPLEX;
 	rmidi->private_data = chip;
+	timer_setup(&chip->midi_timer, snd_sb8dsp_midi_output_timer, 0);
 	chip->rmidi = rmidi;
 	return 0;
 }