diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
index 59a411ff60c7..181e139a8057 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
@@ -1959,6 +1959,10 @@ static int create_filter(struct trace_event_call *call,
 		if (err && set_str)
 			append_filter_err(ps, filter);
 	}
+	if (err && !set_str) {
+		free_event_filter(filter);
+		filter = NULL;
+	}
 	create_filter_finish(ps);
 
 	*filterp = filter;