diff --git a/include/sound/seq_device.h b/include/sound/seq_device.h
index a72380c202e9..3137d4c5f5a8 100644
--- a/include/sound/seq_device.h
+++ b/include/sound/seq_device.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ struct snd_seq_device {
 	void *private_data;	/* private data for the caller */
 	void (*private_free)(struct snd_seq_device *device);
 	struct device dev;
+	unsigned char args[];	/* driver-specific argument */
 };
 
 #define to_seq_dev(_dev) \
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ void snd_seq_device_load_drivers(void);
 int snd_seq_device_new(struct snd_card *card, int device, const char *id,
 		       int argsize, struct snd_seq_device **result);
 
-#define SNDRV_SEQ_DEVICE_ARGPTR(dev) (void *)((char *)(dev) + sizeof(struct snd_seq_device))
+#define SNDRV_SEQ_DEVICE_ARGPTR(dev) ((void *)(dev)->args)
 
 int __must_check __snd_seq_driver_register(struct snd_seq_driver *drv,
 					   struct module *mod);
diff --git a/sound/core/seq_device.c b/sound/core/seq_device.c
index 1b062d6b17ea..8be1f3ab5b63 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq_device.c
+++ b/sound/core/seq_device.c
@@ -234,7 +234,10 @@ int snd_seq_device_new(struct snd_card *card, int device, const char *id,
 	if (snd_BUG_ON(!id))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	dev = kzalloc(sizeof(*dev) + argsize, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (argsize < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	dev = kzalloc_flex(*dev, args, argsize);
 	if (!dev)
 		return -ENOMEM;