diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 075c9465f02c458312550cf16066e74f7b71bdd6..dd22eb8cbc491ba8bdd66a8d70570a4b5a65df85 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -11427,7 +11427,7 @@ inherit_event(struct perf_event *parent_event,
 						   GFP_KERNEL);
 		if (!child_ctx->task_ctx_data) {
 			free_event(child_event);
-			return NULL;
+			return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 		}
 	}