diff --git a/samples/bpf/bpf_load.c b/samples/bpf/bpf_load.c
index 5061a2ec4564604dbf2cb75230000dd09d34d151..176c04a454dc997bc5d7d8ec1ebfca920b0554f5 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/bpf_load.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/bpf_load.c
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ static int write_kprobe_events(const char *val)
 {
 	int fd, ret, flags;
 
-	if ((val != NULL) && (val[0] == '\0'))
+	if (val == NULL)
+		return -1;
+	else if (val[0] == '\0')
 		flags = O_WRONLY | O_TRUNC;
 	else
 		flags = O_WRONLY | O_APPEND;