diff --git a/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c b/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
index 2500e75583fcc26e6380731d407dc6d985ba6929..b3a61d4fe38e2ffade7de3a9449c84bd8eda3f23 100644
--- a/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
+++ b/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
@@ -182,7 +182,10 @@ struct event_filter *pevent_filter_alloc(struct pevent *pevent)
 {
 	struct event_filter *filter;
 
-	filter = malloc_or_die(sizeof(*filter));
+	filter = malloc(sizeof(*filter));
+	if (filter == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
 	memset(filter, 0, sizeof(*filter));
 	filter->pevent = pevent;
 	pevent_ref(pevent);