diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 2720600b13a9eac7a73831f4d3b6a8d4a33a8575..1f1f77d8d3abb44838360ad18fd99872a70fd5a1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@ struct tracepoint_path *tracepoint_id_to_path(u64 config)
 				closedir(evt_dir);
 				closedir(sys_dir);
 				path = zalloc(sizeof(*path));
+				if (!path)
+					return NULL;
 				path->system = malloc(MAX_EVENT_LENGTH);
 				if (!path->system) {
 					free(path);