diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
index 7d306b74230f..0171407d231f 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
@@ -750,31 +750,32 @@ static int filter_pred_none(struct filter_pred *pred, void *event)
  *
  * Note:
  * - @str might not be NULL-terminated if it's of type DYN_STRING
- *   or STATIC_STRING
+ *   or STATIC_STRING, unless @len is zero.
  */
 
 static int regex_match_full(char *str, struct regex *r, int len)
 {
-	if (strncmp(str, r->pattern, len) == 0)
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
+	/* len of zero means str is dynamic and ends with '\0' */
+	if (!len)
+		return strcmp(str, r->pattern) == 0;
+
+	return strncmp(str, r->pattern, len) == 0;
 }
 
 static int regex_match_front(char *str, struct regex *r, int len)
 {
-	if (len < r->len)
+	if (len && len < r->len)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (strncmp(str, r->pattern, r->len) == 0)
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
+	return strncmp(str, r->pattern, r->len) == 0;
 }
 
 static int regex_match_middle(char *str, struct regex *r, int len)
 {
-	if (strnstr(str, r->pattern, len))
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
+	if (!len)
+		return strstr(str, r->pattern) != NULL;
+
+	return strnstr(str, r->pattern, len) != NULL;
 }
 
 static int regex_match_end(char *str, struct regex *r, int len)