diff --git a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h
--- a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h
+++ b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.h
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@
 int pcm_chnalloc(struct snddev_info *d, struct pcm_channel **ch, int direction,
     pid_t pid, char *comm);
 
-int pcm_chn_add(struct snddev_info *d, struct pcm_channel *ch);
+void pcm_chn_add(struct snddev_info *d, struct pcm_channel *ch);
 int pcm_chn_remove(struct snddev_info *d, struct pcm_channel *ch);
 
 int pcm_addchan(device_t dev, int dir, kobj_class_t cls, void *devinfo);
diff --git a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c
--- a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c
+++ b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/sound.c
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@
     sysctl_hw_snd_maxautovchans, "I",
     "maximum virtual channel");
 
-int
+void
 pcm_chn_add(struct snddev_info *d, struct pcm_channel *ch)
 {
 	PCM_BUSYASSERT(d);
@@ -405,8 +405,6 @@
 	default:
 		__assert_unreachable();
 	}
-
-	return (0);
 }
 
 int
@@ -454,7 +452,6 @@
 {
 	struct snddev_info *d = device_get_softc(dev);
 	struct pcm_channel *ch;
-	int err;
 
 	PCM_BUSYASSERT(d);
 
@@ -467,15 +464,10 @@
 		return (ENODEV);
 	}
 
-	err = pcm_chn_add(d, ch);
+	pcm_chn_add(d, ch);
 	PCM_UNLOCK(d);
-	if (err) {
-		device_printf(d->dev, "pcm_chn_add(%s) failed, err=%d\n",
-		    ch->name, err);
-		chn_kill(ch);
-	}
 
-	return (err);
+	return (0);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/vchan.c b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/vchan.c
--- a/sys/dev/sound/pcm/vchan.c
+++ b/sys/dev/sound/pcm/vchan.c
@@ -706,13 +706,8 @@
 	}
 
 	/* add us to our grandparent's channel list */
-	ret = pcm_chn_add(d, ch);
+	pcm_chn_add(d, ch);
 	PCM_UNLOCK(d);
-	if (ret != 0) {
-		chn_kill(ch);
-		CHN_LOCK(parent);
-		return (ret);
-	}
 
 	CHN_LOCK(parent);
 	/*
@@ -727,6 +722,7 @@
 
 	parent->flags |= CHN_F_HAS_VCHAN;
 
+	ret = 0;
 	parent_caps = chn_getcaps(parent);
 	if (parent_caps == NULL)
 		ret = EINVAL;