diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index 94de3e48b4909a03a7e7037f779074e5bf31ff8a..1bca3a9f2b16bc91670f731e05564680d2f12a10 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -389,7 +389,6 @@ static struct thread *__machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
 	if (th != NULL) {
 		rb_link_node(&th->rb_node, parent, p);
 		rb_insert_color(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
-		machine->last_match = th;
 
 		/*
 		 * We have to initialize map_groups separately
@@ -400,9 +399,12 @@ static struct thread *__machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
 		 * leader and that would screwed the rb tree.
 		 */
 		if (thread__init_map_groups(th, machine)) {
+			rb_erase(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
 			thread__delete(th);
 			return NULL;
 		}
+
+		machine->last_match = th;
 	}
 
 	return th;