diff --git a/src/schedule/zephyr_dp_schedule_application.c b/src/schedule/zephyr_dp_schedule_application.c
index e1d34f0458c8..226c86ba4c9e 100644
--- a/src/schedule/zephyr_dp_schedule_application.c
+++ b/src/schedule/zephyr_dp_schedule_application.c
@@ -478,6 +478,8 @@ int scheduler_dp_task_init(struct task **task, const struct sof_uuid_entry *uid,
 
 	memset(task_memory, 0, sizeof(*task_memory));
 
+	const struct comp_driver *drv = mod->dev->drv;
+
 	task_memory->drv = *mod->dev->drv;
 	mod->dev->drv = &task_memory->drv;
 
@@ -526,7 +528,6 @@ int scheduler_dp_task_init(struct task **task, const struct sof_uuid_entry *uid,
 	ptask->ops.get_deadline = ops->get_deadline;
 	ptask->priv_data = pdata;
 	list_init(&ptask->list);
-	*task = ptask;
 
 	/* create a zephyr thread for the task */
 	pdata->thread_id = k_thread_create(pdata->thread, p_stack,
@@ -627,6 +628,9 @@ int scheduler_dp_task_init(struct task **task, const struct sof_uuid_entry *uid,
 	k_event_init(pdata->event);
 	k_thread_start(pdata->thread_id);
 
+	/* ptask points into task_memory, so only publish it once it cannot be freed */
+	*task = ptask;
+
 	return 0;
 
 e_dom:
@@ -643,6 +647,8 @@ int scheduler_dp_task_init(struct task **task, const struct sof_uuid_entry *uid,
 e_stack:
 	user_stack_free(p_stack);
 e_tmem:
+	/* the copy lives in task_memory, so stop pointing at it before freeing */
+	mod->dev->drv = drv;
 	mod_free(mod, task_memory);
 	return ret;
 }