diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
index d239004aaf29052eec50aaf61772c2b0de7c7947..eb908ef2ececf336fc2ed8996439005a32f5afc9 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
@@ -1063,8 +1063,10 @@ static int create_synth_event(int argc, char **argv)
 		event = NULL;
 		ret = -EEXIST;
 		goto out;
-	} else if (delete_event)
+	} else if (delete_event) {
+		ret = -ENOENT;
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	if (argc < 2) {
 		ret = -EINVAL;