diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/hda_intel.c b/sound/pci/hda/hda_intel.c
index bd093593f8fb..a2e811375750 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/hda_intel.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/hda_intel.c
@@ -2027,24 +2027,15 @@ static void azx_firmware_cb(const struct firmware *fw, void *context)
 {
 	struct snd_card *card = context;
 	struct azx *chip = card->private_data;
-	struct pci_dev *pci = chip->pci;
 
-	if (!fw) {
-		dev_err(card->dev, "Cannot load firmware, aborting\n");
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	chip->fw = fw;
+	if (fw)
+		chip->fw = fw;
+	else
+		dev_err(card->dev, "Cannot load firmware, continue without patching\n");
 	if (!chip->disabled) {
 		/* continue probing */
-		if (azx_probe_continue(chip))
-			goto error;
+		azx_probe_continue(chip);
 	}
-	return; /* OK */
-
- error:
-	snd_card_free(card);
-	pci_set_drvdata(pci, NULL);
 }
 #endif