diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c
index d18249683682..d18ec0e58be2 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c
@@ -679,6 +679,8 @@ event_trigger_callback(struct event_command *cmd_ops,
 		goto out_free;
 
  out_reg:
+	/* Up the trigger_data count to make sure reg doesn't free it on failure */
+	event_trigger_init(trigger_ops, trigger_data);
 	ret = cmd_ops->reg(glob, trigger_ops, trigger_data, file);
 	/*
 	 * The above returns on success the # of functions enabled,
@@ -686,11 +688,13 @@ event_trigger_callback(struct event_command *cmd_ops,
 	 * Consider no functions a failure too.
 	 */
 	if (!ret) {
+		cmd_ops->unreg(glob, trigger_ops, trigger_data, file);
 		ret = -ENOENT;
-		goto out_free;
-	} else if (ret < 0)
-		goto out_free;
-	ret = 0;
+	} else if (ret > 0)
+		ret = 0;
+
+	/* Down the counter of trigger_data or free it if not used anymore */
+	event_trigger_free(trigger_ops, trigger_data);
  out:
 	return ret;