diff --git a/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c b/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c
index 2e9d695d336c9..2d707afa1ef1c 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c
+++ b/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c
@@ -121,13 +121,13 @@ struct snd_seq_client *snd_seq_client_use_ptr(int clientid)
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&clients_lock, flags);
 #ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
 	if (!in_interrupt()) {
-		static char client_requested[SNDRV_SEQ_GLOBAL_CLIENTS];
-		static char card_requested[SNDRV_CARDS];
+		static DECLARE_BITMAP(client_requested, SNDRV_SEQ_GLOBAL_CLIENTS);
+		static DECLARE_BITMAP(card_requested, SNDRV_CARDS);
+
 		if (clientid < SNDRV_SEQ_GLOBAL_CLIENTS) {
 			int idx;
 			
-			if (!client_requested[clientid]) {
-				client_requested[clientid] = 1;
+			if (!test_and_set_bit(clientid, client_requested)) {
 				for (idx = 0; idx < 15; idx++) {
 					if (seq_client_load[idx] < 0)
 						break;
@@ -142,10 +142,8 @@ struct snd_seq_client *snd_seq_client_use_ptr(int clientid)
 			int card = (clientid - SNDRV_SEQ_GLOBAL_CLIENTS) /
 				SNDRV_SEQ_CLIENTS_PER_CARD;
 			if (card < snd_ecards_limit) {
-				if (! card_requested[card]) {
-					card_requested[card] = 1;
+				if (!test_and_set_bit(card, card_requested))
 					snd_request_card(card);
-				}
 				snd_seq_device_load_drivers();
 			}
 		}