diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index 5484fa4385fc70159edaa22bec4b9ac2f8b03f2a..93c8b6fbc799c12c10290a8dbb10d7b429687213 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -370,8 +370,10 @@ static struct thread *__machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
 		 * within thread__init_map_groups to find the thread
 		 * leader and that would screwed the rb tree.
 		 */
-		if (thread__init_map_groups(th, machine))
+		if (thread__init_map_groups(th, machine)) {
+			thread__delete(th);
 			return NULL;
+		}
 	}
 
 	return th;