diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
index c129fca6ec99..44fd819aa33d 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
@@ -598,6 +598,14 @@ static struct notifier_block trace_kprobe_module_nb = {
 	.priority = 1	/* Invoked after kprobe module callback */
 };
 
+/* Convert certain expected symbols into '_' when generating event names */
+static inline void sanitize_event_name(char *name)
+{
+	while (*name++ != '\0')
+		if (*name == ':' || *name == '.')
+			*name = '_';
+}
+
 static int create_trace_kprobe(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	/*
@@ -740,6 +748,7 @@ static int create_trace_kprobe(int argc, char **argv)
 		else
 			snprintf(buf, MAX_EVENT_NAME_LEN, "%c_0x%p",
 				 is_return ? 'r' : 'p', addr);
+		sanitize_event_name(buf);
 		event = buf;
 	}
 	tk = alloc_trace_kprobe(group, event, addr, symbol, offset, maxactive,