diff --git a/include/sound/core.h b/include/sound/core.h
index 4093ec82a0a1..4bb76c21c956 100644
--- a/include/sound/core.h
+++ b/include/sound/core.h
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ struct snd_card {
 	struct snd_mixer_oss *mixer_oss;
 	int mixer_oss_change_count;
 #endif
+
+	unsigned char private_data_area[] __aligned(__alignof__(unsigned long long));
 };
 
 #define dev_to_snd_card(p)	container_of(p, struct snd_card, card_dev)
diff --git a/sound/core/init.c b/sound/core/init.c
index 0c316189e947..2408160b8ea1 100644
--- a/sound/core/init.c
+++ b/sound/core/init.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ int snd_card_new(struct device *parent, int idx, const char *xid,
 
 	if (extra_size < 0)
 		extra_size = 0;
-	card = kzalloc(sizeof(*card) + extra_size, GFP_KERNEL);
+	card = kzalloc_flex(*card, private_data_area, extra_size);
 	if (!card)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ int snd_devm_card_new(struct device *parent, int idx, const char *xid,
 	int err;
 
 	*card_ret = NULL;
-	card = devres_alloc(__snd_card_release, sizeof(*card) + extra_size,
+	card = devres_alloc(__snd_card_release,
+			    struct_size(card, private_data_area, extra_size),
 			    GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!card)
 		return -ENOMEM;
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ static int snd_card_init(struct snd_card *card, struct device *parent,
 	int err;
 
 	if (extra_size > 0)
-		card->private_data = (char *)card + sizeof(struct snd_card);
+		card->private_data = card->private_data_area;
 	if (xid)
 		strscpy(card->id, xid, sizeof(card->id));
 	err = 0;