diff --git a/tools/perf/util/strbuf.c b/tools/perf/util/strbuf.c
index eaba09306802..464e7ca898cf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/strbuf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/strbuf.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ size_t strbuf_fread(struct strbuf *sb, size_t size, FILE *f)
 	res = fread(sb->buf + sb->len, 1, size, f);
 	if (res > 0)
 		strbuf_setlen(sb, sb->len + res);
-	else if (res < 0 && oldalloc == 0)
+	else if (oldalloc == 0)
 		strbuf_release(sb);
 	return res;
 }