diff --git a/tools/perf/util/callchain.c b/tools/perf/util/callchain.c
index 98c5627f327bff6eceab7f77207ca3a2a9ac4bfc..a8e67aa9ef49159157ae0a250b4d0d09ca424de7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/callchain.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/callchain.c
@@ -336,5 +336,7 @@ __append_chain(struct callchain_node *root, struct ip_callchain *chain,
 void append_chain(struct callchain_node *root, struct ip_callchain *chain,
 		  struct symbol **syms)
 {
+	if (!chain->nr)
+		return;
 	__append_chain_children(root, chain, syms, 0);
 }