diff --git a/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_sdl.c b/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_sdl.c
index ac9f5cfdbda..cb85fd0fd92 100644
--- a/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_sdl.c
+++ b/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_sdl.c
@@ -443,17 +443,12 @@ static void sdl_device_destroy(struct unix_device *iface)
 static NTSTATUS sdl_device_start(struct unix_device *iface)
 {
     struct sdl_device *impl = impl_from_unix_device(iface);
-    NTSTATUS status;
 
     pthread_mutex_lock(&sdl_cs);
-
-    if (impl->sdl_controller) status = build_controller_report_descriptor(iface);
-    else status = build_joystick_report_descriptor(iface);
-    impl->started = !status;
-
+    impl->started = TRUE;
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&sdl_cs);
 
-    return status;
+    return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 static void sdl_device_stop(struct unix_device *iface)
@@ -1006,6 +1001,8 @@ static void sdl_add_device(unsigned int index)
 
     for (axis_offset = 0; axis_offset < axis_count; axis_offset += (options.split_controllers ? 6 : axis_count))
     {
+        NTSTATUS status;
+
         if (!axis_offset) strcpy(buffer, product);
         else snprintf(buffer, ARRAY_SIZE(buffer), "%s %d", product, axis_offset / 6);
         ntdll_umbstowcs(buffer, strlen(buffer) + 1, desc.product, ARRAY_SIZE(desc.product));
@@ -1019,6 +1016,15 @@ static void sdl_add_device(unsigned int index)
         impl->id = id;
         impl->axis_offset = axis_offset;
 
+        if (impl->sdl_controller) status = build_controller_report_descriptor(&impl->unix_device);
+        else status = build_joystick_report_descriptor(&impl->unix_device);
+        if (status)
+        {
+            list_remove(&impl->unix_device.entry);
+            impl->unix_device.vtbl->destroy(&impl->unix_device);
+            return;
+        }
+
         bus_event_queue_device_created(&event_queue, &impl->unix_device, &desc);
     }
 }
diff --git a/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_udev.c b/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_udev.c
index 30c44979992..cb16dd39451 100644
--- a/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_udev.c
+++ b/dlls/winebus.sys/bus_udev.c
@@ -728,12 +728,6 @@ static void lnxev_device_destroy(struct unix_device *iface)
 
 static NTSTATUS lnxev_device_start(struct unix_device *iface)
 {
-    struct lnxev_device *impl = lnxev_impl_from_unix_device(iface);
-    NTSTATUS status;
-
-    if ((status = build_report_descriptor(iface, impl->base.udev_device)))
-        return status;
-
     pthread_mutex_lock(&udev_cs);
     start_polling_device(iface);
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&udev_cs);
@@ -1321,6 +1315,13 @@ static void udev_add_device(struct udev_device *dev, int fd)
         strcpy(impl->devnode, devnode);
         impl->device_fd = fd;
 
+        if (build_report_descriptor(&impl->unix_device, impl->udev_device))
+        {
+            list_remove(&impl->unix_device.entry);
+            impl->unix_device.vtbl->destroy(&impl->unix_device);
+            return;
+        }
+
         bus_event_queue_device_created(&event_queue, &impl->unix_device, &desc);
     }
 #endif
diff --git a/dlls/winebus.sys/unixlib.c b/dlls/winebus.sys/unixlib.c
index 2668468305c..bd4351f059c 100644
--- a/dlls/winebus.sys/unixlib.c
+++ b/dlls/winebus.sys/unixlib.c
@@ -49,14 +49,6 @@ static void mouse_destroy(struct unix_device *iface)
 
 static NTSTATUS mouse_start(struct unix_device *iface)
 {
-    const USAGE_AND_PAGE device_usage = {.UsagePage = HID_USAGE_PAGE_GENERIC, .Usage = HID_USAGE_GENERIC_MOUSE};
-    if (!hid_device_begin_report_descriptor(iface, &device_usage))
-        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
-    if (!hid_device_add_buttons(iface, HID_USAGE_PAGE_BUTTON, 1, 3))
-        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
-    if (!hid_device_end_report_descriptor(iface))
-        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
-
     return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -123,9 +115,21 @@ static const struct device_desc mouse_device_desc =
 
 static NTSTATUS mouse_device_create(void *args)
 {
+    const USAGE_AND_PAGE device_usage = {.UsagePage = HID_USAGE_PAGE_GENERIC, .Usage = HID_USAGE_GENERIC_MOUSE};
     struct device_create_params *params = args;
+    struct unix_device *iface;
+
+    if (!(iface = hid_device_create(&mouse_vtbl, sizeof(struct mouse_device))))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+    if (!hid_device_begin_report_descriptor(iface, &device_usage))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+    if (!hid_device_add_buttons(iface, HID_USAGE_PAGE_BUTTON, 1, 3))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+    if (!hid_device_end_report_descriptor(iface))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+
     params->desc = mouse_device_desc;
-    params->device = (UINT_PTR)hid_device_create(&mouse_vtbl, sizeof(struct mouse_device));
+    params->device = (UINT_PTR)iface;
     return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -140,14 +144,6 @@ static void keyboard_destroy(struct unix_device *iface)
 
 static NTSTATUS keyboard_start(struct unix_device *iface)
 {
-    const USAGE_AND_PAGE device_usage = {.UsagePage = HID_USAGE_PAGE_GENERIC, .Usage = HID_USAGE_GENERIC_KEYBOARD};
-    if (!hid_device_begin_report_descriptor(iface, &device_usage))
-        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
-    if (!hid_device_add_buttons(iface, HID_USAGE_PAGE_KEYBOARD, 0, 101))
-        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
-    if (!hid_device_end_report_descriptor(iface))
-        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
-
     return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -214,9 +210,21 @@ static const struct device_desc keyboard_device_desc =
 
 static NTSTATUS keyboard_device_create(void *args)
 {
+    const USAGE_AND_PAGE device_usage = {.UsagePage = HID_USAGE_PAGE_GENERIC, .Usage = HID_USAGE_GENERIC_KEYBOARD};
     struct device_create_params *params = args;
+    struct unix_device *iface;
+
+    if (!(iface = hid_device_create(&keyboard_vtbl, sizeof(struct keyboard_device))))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+    if (!hid_device_begin_report_descriptor(iface, &device_usage))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+    if (!hid_device_add_buttons(iface, HID_USAGE_PAGE_KEYBOARD, 0, 101))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+    if (!hid_device_end_report_descriptor(iface))
+        return STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
+
     params->desc = keyboard_device_desc;
-    params->device = (UINT_PTR)hid_device_create(&keyboard_vtbl, sizeof(struct keyboard_device));
+    params->device = (UINT_PTR)iface;
     return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }