diff --git a/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.c b/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.c
index faff9e377798..8831a6f179e3 100644
--- a/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.c
+++ b/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.c
@@ -2085,13 +2085,13 @@ static u16 message_response_sequence(struct hpi_adapter_obj *pao,
 	u16 err = 0;
 
 	message_count++;
-	if (phm->size > sizeof(interface->u)) {
+	if (phm->size > sizeof(interface->u.message_buffer)) {
 		phr->error = HPI_ERROR_MESSAGE_BUFFER_TOO_SMALL;
-		phr->specific_error = sizeof(interface->u);
+		phr->specific_error = sizeof(interface->u.message_buffer);
 		phr->size = sizeof(struct hpi_response_header);
 		HPI_DEBUG_LOG(ERROR,
 			"message len %d too big for buffer %zd \n", phm->size,
-			sizeof(interface->u));
+			sizeof(interface->u.message_buffer));
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -2123,18 +2123,19 @@ static u16 message_response_sequence(struct hpi_adapter_obj *pao,
 
 	/* read the result */
 	if (time_out) {
-		if (interface->u.response_buffer.size <= phr->size)
+		if (interface->u.response_buffer.response.size <= phr->size)
 			memcpy(phr, &interface->u.response_buffer,
-				interface->u.response_buffer.size);
+				interface->u.response_buffer.response.size);
 		else {
 			HPI_DEBUG_LOG(ERROR,
 				"response len %d too big for buffer %d\n",
-				interface->u.response_buffer.size, phr->size);
+				interface->u.response_buffer.response.size,
+				phr->size);
 			memcpy(phr, &interface->u.response_buffer,
 				sizeof(struct hpi_response_header));
 			phr->error = HPI_ERROR_RESPONSE_BUFFER_TOO_SMALL;
 			phr->specific_error =
-				interface->u.response_buffer.size;
+				interface->u.response_buffer.response.size;
 			phr->size = sizeof(struct hpi_response_header);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.h b/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.h
index df2f02c0c7b4..ec0827b633a6 100644
--- a/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.h
+++ b/sound/pci/asihpi/hpi6205.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*****************************************************************************
 
     AudioScience HPI driver
-    Copyright (C) 1997-2010  AudioScience Inc. <support@audioscience.com>
+    Copyright (C) 1997-2011  AudioScience Inc. <support@audioscience.com>
 
     This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
     it under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public License as
@@ -70,15 +70,28 @@ The Host located memory buffer that the 6205 will bus master
 in and out of.
 ************************************************************/
 #define HPI6205_SIZEOF_DATA (16*1024)
+
+struct message_buffer_6205 {
+	struct hpi_message message;
+	char data[256];
+};
+
+struct response_buffer_6205 {
+	struct hpi_response response;
+	char data[256];
+};
+
+union buffer_6205 {
+	struct message_buffer_6205 message_buffer;
+	struct response_buffer_6205 response_buffer;
+	u8 b_data[HPI6205_SIZEOF_DATA];
+};
+
 struct bus_master_interface {
 	u32 host_cmd;
 	u32 dsp_ack;
 	u32 transfer_size_in_bytes;
-	union {
-		struct hpi_message_header message_buffer;
-		struct hpi_response_header response_buffer;
-		u8 b_data[HPI6205_SIZEOF_DATA];
-	} u;
+	union buffer_6205 u;
 	struct controlcache_6205 control_cache;
 	struct async_event_buffer_6205 async_buffer;
 	struct hpi_hostbuffer_status
diff --git a/sound/pci/asihpi/hpicmn.c b/sound/pci/asihpi/hpicmn.c
index 801dcd89c86e..fe2e1ae3853d 100644
--- a/sound/pci/asihpi/hpicmn.c
+++ b/sound/pci/asihpi/hpicmn.c
@@ -315,8 +315,7 @@ short hpi_check_control_cache(struct hpi_control_cache *p_cache,
 	short found = 1;
 	struct hpi_control_cache_info *pI;
 	struct hpi_control_cache_single *pC;
-	struct hpi_control_cache_pad *p_pad;
-
+	u16 response_size;
 	if (!find_control(phm->obj_index, p_cache, &pI)) {
 		HPI_DEBUG_LOG(VERBOSE,
 			"HPICMN find_control() failed for adap %d\n",
@@ -326,11 +325,15 @@ short hpi_check_control_cache(struct hpi_control_cache *p_cache,
 
 	phr->error = 0;
 
+	/* set the default response size */
+	response_size =
+		sizeof(struct hpi_response_header) +
+		sizeof(struct hpi_control_res);
+
 	/* pC is the default cached control strucure. May be cast to
 	   something else in the following switch statement.
 	 */
 	pC = (struct hpi_control_cache_single *)pI;
-	p_pad = (struct hpi_control_cache_pad *)pI;
 
 	switch (pI->control_type) {
 
@@ -529,9 +532,7 @@ short hpi_check_control_cache(struct hpi_control_cache *p_cache,
 		pI->control_index, pI->control_type, phm->u.c.attribute);
 
 	if (found)
-		phr->size =
-			sizeof(struct hpi_response_header) +
-			sizeof(struct hpi_control_res);
+		phr->size = response_size;
 
 	return found;
 }