diff --git a/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c b/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c
index 1c7bfa5fe0a81052fa1718cf996ef80c21d2e96e..eb25900e2211f936ee4caea544fd7a70c6df43e8 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c
@@ -1956,8 +1956,10 @@ static int __del_trace_probe_event(int fd, struct str_node *ent)
 
 	pr_debug("Writing event: %s\n", buf);
 	ret = write(fd, buf, strlen(buf));
-	if (ret < 0)
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		ret = -errno;
 		goto error;
+	}
 
 	printf("Remove event: %s\n", ent->s);
 	return 0;