diff --git a/src/timer/timer_hw.c b/src/timer/timer_hw.c
index d11c1e3b..30bea1f1 100644
--- a/src/timer/timer_hw.c
+++ b/src/timer/timer_hw.c
@@ -264,8 +264,8 @@ int snd_timer_hw_open(snd_timer_t **handle, const char *name, int dev_class, int
 		}
 		if (ioctl(fd, SNDRV_TIMER_IOCTL_TREAD, &arg) < 0) {
 			ret = -errno;
-			close(fd);
 		      __no_tread:
+			close(fd);
 			SNDMSG("extended read is not supported (SNDRV_TIMER_IOCTL_TREAD)");
 			return ret;
 		}