*/
 static void snd_sb_csp_free(struct snd_hwdep *hwdep)
 {
+       int i;
        struct snd_sb_csp *p = hwdep->private_data;
        if (p) {
                if (p->running & SNDRV_SB_CSP_ST_RUNNING)
                        snd_sb_csp_stop(p);
+               for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(p->csp_programs); ++i)
+                       release_firmware(p->csp_programs[i]);
                kfree(p);
        }
 }
        return err;
 }
 
+#define FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+
+#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
 #include "sb16_csp_codecs.h"
 
+static const struct firmware snd_sb_csp_static_programs[] = {
+       { .data = mulaw_main, .size = sizeof mulaw_main },
+       { .data = alaw_main, .size = sizeof alaw_main },
+       { .data = ima_adpcm_init, .size = sizeof ima_adpcm_init },
+       { .data = ima_adpcm_playback, .size = sizeof ima_adpcm_playback },
+       { .data = ima_adpcm_capture, .size = sizeof ima_adpcm_capture },
+};
+#endif
+
+static int snd_sb_csp_firmware_load(struct snd_sb_csp *p, int index, int flags)
+{
+       static const char *const names[] = {
+               "sb16/mulaw_main.csp",
+               "sb16/alaw_main.csp",
+               "sb16/ima_adpcm_init.csp",
+               "sb16/ima_adpcm_playback.csp",
+               "sb16/ima_adpcm_capture.csp",
+       };
+       const struct firmware *program;
+       int err;
+
+       BUILD_BUG_ON(ARRAY_SIZE(names) != CSP_PROGRAM_COUNT);
+       program = p->csp_programs[index];
+       if (!program) {
+               err = request_firmware(&program, names[index],
+                                      p->chip->card->dev);
+               if (err >= 0)
+                       p->csp_programs[index] = program;
+               else {
+#ifdef FIRMWARE_IN_THE_KERNEL
+                       program = &snd_sb_csp_static_programs[index];
+#else
+                       return err;
+#endif
+               }
+       }
+       return snd_sb_csp_load(p, program->data, program->size, flags);
+}
+
 /*
  * autoload hardware codec if necessary
  * return 0 if CSP is loaded and ready to run (p->running != 0)
        } else {
                switch (pcm_sfmt) {
                case SNDRV_PCM_FORMAT_MU_LAW:
-                       err = snd_sb_csp_load(p, &mulaw_main[0], sizeof(mulaw_main), 0);
+                       err = snd_sb_csp_firmware_load(p, CSP_PROGRAM_MULAW, 0);
                        p->acc_format = SNDRV_PCM_FMTBIT_MU_LAW;
                        p->mode = SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_READ | SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_WRITE;
                        break;
                case SNDRV_PCM_FORMAT_A_LAW:
-                       err = snd_sb_csp_load(p, &alaw_main[0], sizeof(alaw_main), 0);
+                       err = snd_sb_csp_firmware_load(p, CSP_PROGRAM_ALAW, 0);
                        p->acc_format = SNDRV_PCM_FMTBIT_A_LAW;
                        p->mode = SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_READ | SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_WRITE;
                        break;
                case SNDRV_PCM_FORMAT_IMA_ADPCM:
-                       err = snd_sb_csp_load(p, &ima_adpcm_init[0], sizeof(ima_adpcm_init),
-                                             SNDRV_SB_CSP_LOAD_INITBLOCK);
+                       err = snd_sb_csp_firmware_load(p, CSP_PROGRAM_ADPCM_INIT,
+                                                      SNDRV_SB_CSP_LOAD_INITBLOCK);
                        if (err)
                                break;
                        if (play_rec_mode == SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_WRITE) {
-                               err = snd_sb_csp_load(p, &ima_adpcm_playback[0],
-                                                     sizeof(ima_adpcm_playback), 0);
+                               err = snd_sb_csp_firmware_load
+                                       (p, CSP_PROGRAM_ADPCM_PLAYBACK, 0);
                                p->mode = SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_WRITE;
                        } else {
-                               err = snd_sb_csp_load(p, &ima_adpcm_capture[0],
-                                                     sizeof(ima_adpcm_capture), 0);
+                               err = snd_sb_csp_firmware_load
+                                       (p, CSP_PROGRAM_ADPCM_CAPTURE, 0);
                                p->mode = SNDRV_SB_CSP_MODE_DSP_READ;
                        }
                        p->acc_format = SNDRV_PCM_FMTBIT_IMA_ADPCM;