diff --git a/include/sound/soc-card.h b/include/sound/soc-card.h
index 9d31a5c0db33..fc94dfb0021f 100644
--- a/include/sound/soc-card.h
+++ b/include/sound/soc-card.h
@@ -9,10 +9,25 @@
 #define __SOC_CARD_H
 
 enum snd_soc_card_subclass {
-	SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_INIT		= 0,
+	SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_ROOT		= 0,
 	SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_RUNTIME	= 1,
 };
 
+static inline void snd_soc_card_mutex_lock_root(struct snd_soc_card *card)
+{
+	mutex_lock_nested(&card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_ROOT);
+}
+
+static inline void snd_soc_card_mutex_lock(struct snd_soc_card *card)
+{
+	mutex_lock_nested(&card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_RUNTIME);
+}
+
+static inline void snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(struct snd_soc_card *card)
+{
+	mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
+}
+
 struct snd_kcontrol *snd_soc_card_get_kcontrol(struct snd_soc_card *soc_card,
 					       const char *name);
 int snd_soc_card_jack_new(struct snd_soc_card *card, const char *id, int type,
diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-compress.c b/sound/soc/soc-compress.c
index 4a4c44791959..614780f5fbc7 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-compress.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-compress.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static int soc_compr_open_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream)
 	int stream = cstream->direction; /* SND_COMPRESS_xxx is same as SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_xxx */
 	int ret;
 
-	mutex_lock_nested(&fe->card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_RUNTIME);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_lock(fe->card);
 	fe->dpcm[stream].runtime = fe_substream->runtime;
 
 	ret = dpcm_path_get(fe, stream, &list);
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ static int soc_compr_open_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream)
 	snd_soc_runtime_activate(fe, stream);
 	snd_soc_dpcm_mutex_unlock(fe);
 
-	mutex_unlock(&fe->card->mutex);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(fe->card);
 
 	return 0;
 
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ out:
 	dpcm_path_put(&list);
 be_err:
 	fe->dpcm[stream].runtime_update = SND_SOC_DPCM_UPDATE_NO;
-	mutex_unlock(&fe->card->mutex);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(fe->card);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ static int soc_compr_free_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream)
 	struct snd_soc_dpcm *dpcm;
 	int stream = cstream->direction; /* SND_COMPRESS_xxx is same as SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_xxx */
 
-	mutex_lock_nested(&fe->card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_RUNTIME);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_lock(fe->card);
 
 	snd_soc_dpcm_mutex_lock(fe);
 	snd_soc_runtime_deactivate(fe, stream);
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ static int soc_compr_free_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream)
 
 	snd_soc_dai_compr_shutdown(cpu_dai, cstream, 0);
 
-	mutex_unlock(&fe->card->mutex);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(fe->card);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static int soc_compr_trigger_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream, int cmd)
 	    cmd == SND_COMPR_TRIGGER_DRAIN)
 		return snd_soc_component_compr_trigger(cstream, cmd);
 
-	mutex_lock_nested(&fe->card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_RUNTIME);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_lock(fe->card);
 
 	ret = snd_soc_dai_compr_trigger(cpu_dai, cstream, cmd);
 	if (ret < 0)
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ static int soc_compr_trigger_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream, int cmd)
 
 out:
 	fe->dpcm[stream].runtime_update = SND_SOC_DPCM_UPDATE_NO;
-	mutex_unlock(&fe->card->mutex);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(fe->card);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ static int soc_compr_set_params_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream,
 	int stream = cstream->direction; /* SND_COMPRESS_xxx is same as SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_xxx */
 	int ret;
 
-	mutex_lock_nested(&fe->card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_RUNTIME);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_lock(fe->card);
 
 	/*
 	 * Create an empty hw_params for the BE as the machine driver must
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ static int soc_compr_set_params_fe(struct snd_compr_stream *cstream,
 
 out:
 	fe->dpcm[stream].runtime_update = SND_SOC_DPCM_UPDATE_NO;
-	mutex_unlock(&fe->card->mutex);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(fe->card);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-core.c b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
index 6c10f5934919..a04d323a004f 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-core.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
@@ -1936,7 +1936,7 @@ static int snd_soc_bind_card(struct snd_soc_card *card)
 	int ret, i;
 
 	mutex_lock(&client_mutex);
-	mutex_lock_nested(&card->mutex, SND_SOC_CARD_CLASS_INIT);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_lock_root(card);
 
 	snd_soc_dapm_init(&card->dapm, card, NULL);
 
@@ -2093,7 +2093,7 @@ probe_end:
 	if (ret < 0)
 		soc_cleanup_card_resources(card);
 
-	mutex_unlock(&card->mutex);
+	snd_soc_card_mutex_unlock(card);
 	mutex_unlock(&client_mutex);
 
 	return ret;