diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_fprobe.c b/kernel/trace/trace_fprobe.c
index 8f43f1f65b1b..8bfe23af9c73 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_fprobe.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_fprobe.c
@@ -898,6 +898,46 @@ static struct tracepoint *find_tracepoint(const char *tp_name)
 	return data.tpoint;
 }
 
+static int parse_symbol_and_return(int argc, const char *argv[],
+				   char **symbol, bool *is_return,
+				   bool is_tracepoint)
+{
+	char *tmp = strchr(argv[1], '%');
+	int i;
+
+	if (tmp) {
+		int len = tmp - argv[1];
+
+		if (!is_tracepoint && !strcmp(tmp, "%return")) {
+			*is_return = true;
+		} else {
+			trace_probe_log_err(len, BAD_ADDR_SUFFIX);
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+		*symbol = kmemdup_nul(argv[1], len, GFP_KERNEL);
+	} else
+		*symbol = kstrdup(argv[1], GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!*symbol)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	if (*is_return)
+		return 0;
+
+	/* If there is $retval, this should be a return fprobe. */
+	for (i = 2; i < argc; i++) {
+		tmp = strstr(argv[i], "$retval");
+		if (tmp && !isalnum(tmp[7]) && tmp[7] != '_') {
+			*is_return = true;
+			/*
+			 * NOTE: Don't check is_tracepoint here, because it will
+			 * be checked when the argument is parsed.
+			 */
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int __trace_fprobe_create(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
 	/*
@@ -927,7 +967,7 @@ static int __trace_fprobe_create(int argc, const char *argv[])
 	struct trace_fprobe *tf = NULL;
 	int i, len, new_argc = 0, ret = 0;
 	bool is_return = false;
-	char *symbol = NULL, *tmp = NULL;
+	char *symbol = NULL;
 	const char *event = NULL, *group = FPROBE_EVENT_SYSTEM;
 	const char **new_argv = NULL;
 	int maxactive = 0;
@@ -983,20 +1023,10 @@ static int __trace_fprobe_create(int argc, const char *argv[])
 	trace_probe_log_set_index(1);
 
 	/* a symbol(or tracepoint) must be specified */
-	symbol = kstrdup(argv[1], GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!symbol)
-		return -ENOMEM;
+	ret = parse_symbol_and_return(argc, argv, &symbol, &is_return, is_tracepoint);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto parse_error;
 
-	tmp = strchr(symbol, '%');
-	if (tmp) {
-		if (!is_tracepoint && !strcmp(tmp, "%return")) {
-			*tmp = '\0';
-			is_return = true;
-		} else {
-			trace_probe_log_err(tmp - symbol, BAD_ADDR_SUFFIX);
-			goto parse_error;
-		}
-	}
 	if (!is_return && maxactive) {
 		trace_probe_log_set_index(0);
 		trace_probe_log_err(1, BAD_MAXACT_TYPE);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/dynevent/fprobe_syntax_errors.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/dynevent/fprobe_syntax_errors.tc
index 812f5b3f6055..72563b2e0812 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/dynevent/fprobe_syntax_errors.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/dynevent/fprobe_syntax_errors.tc
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ check_error 'f:^ vfs_read'		# NO_EVENT_NAME
 check_error 'f:foo/^12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345 vfs_read'	# EVENT_TOO_LONG
 check_error 'f:foo/^bar.1 vfs_read'	# BAD_EVENT_NAME
 
-check_error 'f vfs_read ^$retval'	# RETVAL_ON_PROBE
 check_error 'f vfs_read ^$stack10000'	# BAD_STACK_NUM
 
 check_error 'f vfs_read ^$arg10000'	# BAD_ARG_NUM
 
+check_error 'f vfs_read $retval ^$arg1' # BAD_VAR
 check_error 'f vfs_read ^$none_var'	# BAD_VAR
 check_error 'f vfs_read ^'$REG		# BAD_VAR