diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
index b949c3917c67..9be3d1d1fcb4 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
@@ -451,8 +451,10 @@ predicate_parse(const char *str, int nr_parens, int nr_preds,
 
 		switch (*next) {
 		case '(':					/* #2 */
-			if (top - op_stack > nr_parens)
-				return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
+			if (top - op_stack > nr_parens) {
+				ret = -EINVAL;
+				goto out_free;
+			}
 			*(++top) = invert;
 			continue;
 		case '!':					/* #3 */