diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c
index 2152d1e530cb..cd12ecb66eb9 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_trigger.c
@@ -732,8 +732,10 @@ int set_trigger_filter(char *filter_str,
 
 	/* The filter is for the 'trigger' event, not the triggered event */
 	ret = create_event_filter(file->event_call, filter_str, false, &filter);
-	if (ret)
-		goto out;
+	/*
+	 * If create_event_filter() fails, filter still needs to be freed.
+	 * Which the calling code will do with data->filter.
+	 */
  assign:
 	tmp = rcu_access_pointer(data->filter);