diff --git a/drivers/media/video/cafe_ccic.c b/drivers/media/video/cafe_ccic.c
index 0fae0e000f1a9dd0e07394f8c9e60f43fc32bcf1..ccb37006bb180a3abf82e337897623b12554ccc2 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/cafe_ccic.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/cafe_ccic.c
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ MODULE_SUPPORTED_DEVICE("Video");
  */
 
 #define MAX_DMA_BUFS 3
-static int alloc_bufs_at_load = 0;
-module_param(alloc_bufs_at_load, bool, 0444);
-MODULE_PARM_DESC(alloc_bufs_at_load,
-		"Non-zero value causes DMA buffers to be allocated at module "
-		"load time.  This increases the chances of successfully getting "
-		"those buffers, but at the cost of nailing down the memory from "
-		"the outset.");
+static int alloc_bufs_at_read = 0;
+module_param(alloc_bufs_at_read, bool, 0444);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(alloc_bufs_at_read,
+		"Non-zero value causes DMA buffers to be allocated when the "
+		"video capture device is read, rather than at module load "
+		"time.  This saves memory, but decreases the chances of "
+		"successfully getting those buffers.");
 
 static int n_dma_bufs = 3;
 module_param(n_dma_bufs, uint, 0644);
@@ -1502,7 +1502,7 @@ static int cafe_v4l_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	}
 	if (cam->users == 0) {
 		cafe_ctlr_power_down(cam);
-		if (! alloc_bufs_at_load)
+		if (alloc_bufs_at_read)
 			cafe_free_dma_bufs(cam);
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&cam->s_mutex);
@@ -2161,7 +2161,7 @@ static int cafe_pci_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	/*
 	 * If so requested, try to get our DMA buffers now.
 	 */
-	if (alloc_bufs_at_load) {
+	if (!alloc_bufs_at_read) {
 		if (cafe_alloc_dma_bufs(cam, 1))
 			cam_warn(cam, "Unable to alloc DMA buffers at load"
 					" will try again later.");