diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c b/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
index 954f4a8db004..d9c3b4af41d4 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/patch_realtek.c
@@ -1342,8 +1342,12 @@ static void alc_auto_set_output_and_unmute(struct hda_codec *codec,
 					   hda_nid_t dac);
 static hda_nid_t alc_auto_look_for_dac(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t pin,
 				       bool is_digital);
-static bool add_new_out_path(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t pin,
-			     hda_nid_t dac);
+static bool parse_nid_path(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t from_nid,
+			   hda_nid_t to_nid, int with_aa_mix,
+			   struct nid_path *path);
+static struct nid_path *add_new_nid_path(struct hda_codec *codec,
+					 hda_nid_t from_nid, hda_nid_t to_nid,
+					 int with_aa_mix);
 
 /*
  * Digital I/O handling
@@ -1371,7 +1375,7 @@ static void alc_auto_init_digital(struct hda_codec *codec)
 static void alc_auto_parse_digital(struct hda_codec *codec)
 {
 	struct alc_spec *spec = codec->spec;
-	int i, err, nums;
+	int i, nums;
 	hda_nid_t dig_nid;
 
 	/* support multiple SPDIFs; the secondary is set up as a slave */
@@ -1381,6 +1385,8 @@ static void alc_auto_parse_digital(struct hda_codec *codec)
 		dig_nid = alc_auto_look_for_dac(codec, pin, true);
 		if (!dig_nid)
 			continue;
+		if (!add_new_nid_path(codec, dig_nid, pin, 2))
+			continue;
 		if (!nums) {
 			spec->multiout.dig_out_nid = dig_nid;
 			spec->dig_out_type = spec->autocfg.dig_out_type[0];
@@ -1390,7 +1396,6 @@ static void alc_auto_parse_digital(struct hda_codec *codec)
 				break;
 			spec->slave_dig_outs[nums - 1] = dig_nid;
 		}
-		add_new_out_path(codec, pin, dig_nid);
 		nums++;
 	}
 
@@ -1404,8 +1409,6 @@ static void alc_auto_parse_digital(struct hda_codec *codec)
 				continue;
 			if (!(wcaps & AC_WCAP_CONN_LIST))
 				continue;
-			err = get_connection_index(codec, dig_nid,
-						   spec->autocfg.dig_in_pin);
 			if (err >= 0) {
 				spec->dig_in_nid = dig_nid;
 				break;
@@ -2343,10 +2346,6 @@ static const char *alc_get_line_out_pfx(struct alc_spec *spec, int ch,
 	return channel_name[ch];
 }
 
-static bool parse_nid_path(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t from_nid,
-			   hda_nid_t to_nid, int with_aa_mix,
-			   struct nid_path *path);
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_PM
 /* add the powersave loopback-list entry */
 static void add_loopback_list(struct alc_spec *spec, hda_nid_t mix, int idx)
@@ -2380,11 +2379,8 @@ static int new_analog_input(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t pin,
 	    !nid_has_mute(codec, mix_nid, HDA_INPUT))
 		return 0; /* no need for analog loopback */
 
-	path = snd_array_new(&spec->paths);
+	path = add_new_nid_path(codec, pin, mix_nid, 2);
 	if (!path)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-	memset(path, 0, sizeof(*path));
-	if (!parse_nid_path(codec, pin, mix_nid, 2, path))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	idx = path->idx[path->depth - 1];
@@ -2937,21 +2933,25 @@ static hda_nid_t alc_look_for_out_mute_nid(struct hda_codec *codec,
 static hda_nid_t alc_look_for_out_vol_nid(struct hda_codec *codec,
 					  struct nid_path *path);
 
-static bool add_new_out_path(struct hda_codec *codec, hda_nid_t pin,
-			     hda_nid_t dac)
+static struct nid_path *add_new_nid_path(struct hda_codec *codec,
+					 hda_nid_t from_nid, hda_nid_t to_nid,
+					 int with_aa_mix)
 {
 	struct alc_spec *spec = codec->spec;
 	struct nid_path *path;
 
+	if (from_nid && to_nid && !is_reachable_path(codec, from_nid, to_nid))
+		return NULL;
+
 	path = snd_array_new(&spec->paths);
 	if (!path)
-		return false;
+		return NULL;
 	memset(path, 0, sizeof(*path));
-	if (parse_nid_path(codec, dac, pin, 0, path))
-		return true;
+	if (parse_nid_path(codec, from_nid, to_nid, with_aa_mix, path))
+		return path;
 	/* push back */
 	spec->paths.used--;
-	return false;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /* get the path between the given NIDs;
@@ -3093,7 +3093,7 @@ static int alc_auto_fill_dacs(struct hda_codec *codec, int num_outs,
 			else
 				badness += bad->no_dac;
 		}
-		if (!add_new_out_path(codec, pin, dac))
+		if (!add_new_nid_path(codec, dac, pin, 0))
 			dac = dacs[i] = 0;
 		if (dac)
 			badness += assign_out_path_ctls(codec, pin, dac);
@@ -3118,7 +3118,7 @@ static bool alc_map_singles(struct hda_codec *codec, int outs,
 		dac = get_dac_if_single(codec, pins[i]);
 		if (!dac)
 			continue;
-		if (add_new_out_path(codec, pins[i], dac)) {
+		if (add_new_nid_path(codec, dac, pins[i], 0)) {
 			dacs[i] = dac;
 			found = true;
 		}
@@ -4015,7 +4015,7 @@ static int alc_auto_fill_multi_ios(struct hda_codec *codec,
 				badness++;
 				continue;
 			}
-			if (!add_new_out_path(codec, nid, dac)) {
+			if (!add_new_nid_path(codec, dac, nid, 0)) {
 				badness++;
 				continue;
 			}