diff --git a/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c b/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
index 80d872a81f26db44b6fa38f3b35c289757eed85a..d54c2b4dbd9f1d6a95b81e587b05ae96eae48f5b 100644
--- a/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
+++ b/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static enum event_type read_token(char **tok)
 	    (strcmp(token, "=") == 0 || strcmp(token, "!") == 0) &&
 	    pevent_peek_char() == '~') {
 		/* append it */
-		*tok = malloc(3);
+		*tok = malloc_or_die(3);
 		sprintf(*tok, "%c%c", *token, '~');
 		free_token(token);
 		/* Now remove the '~' from the buffer */