diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise.c
index 7b73d1eccd0e..5648f9252e58 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise.c
@@ -750,6 +750,9 @@ void osnoise_put_context(struct osnoise_context *context)
  */
 void osnoise_destroy_tool(struct osnoise_tool *top)
 {
+	if (!top)
+		return;
+
 	trace_instance_destroy(&top->trace);
 
 	if (top->context)
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c
index 180fcbe423cd..1f0b7fce55cf 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c
@@ -701,9 +701,9 @@ osnoise_hist_set_signals(struct osnoise_hist_params *params)
 int osnoise_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct osnoise_hist_params *params;
+	struct osnoise_tool *record = NULL;
+	struct osnoise_tool *tool = NULL;
 	struct trace_instance *trace;
-	struct osnoise_tool *record;
-	struct osnoise_tool *tool;
 	int return_value = 1;
 	int retval;
 
@@ -792,9 +792,8 @@ int osnoise_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 out_hist:
 	osnoise_free_histogram(tool->data);
 out_destroy:
+	osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	osnoise_destroy_tool(tool);
-	if (params->trace_output)
-		osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	free(params);
 out_exit:
 	exit(return_value);
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c
index 332b2ac205fc..c67dc28ef716 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c
@@ -483,9 +483,9 @@ static void osnoise_top_set_signals(struct osnoise_top_params *params)
 int osnoise_top_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	struct osnoise_top_params *params;
+	struct osnoise_tool *record = NULL;
+	struct osnoise_tool *tool = NULL;
 	struct trace_instance *trace;
-	struct osnoise_tool *record;
-	struct osnoise_tool *tool;
 	int return_value = 1;
 	int retval;
 
@@ -571,9 +571,8 @@ int osnoise_top_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 out_top:
 	osnoise_free_top(tool->data);
+	osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	osnoise_destroy_tool(tool);
-	if (params->trace_output)
-		osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 out_exit:
 	exit(return_value);
 }
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c
index 235f9620ef3d..436a799f9adf 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c
@@ -729,9 +729,9 @@ timerlat_hist_set_signals(struct timerlat_hist_params *params)
 int timerlat_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct timerlat_hist_params *params;
+	struct osnoise_tool *record = NULL;
+	struct osnoise_tool *tool = NULL;
 	struct trace_instance *trace;
-	struct osnoise_tool *record;
-	struct osnoise_tool *tool;
 	int return_value = 1;
 	int retval;
 
@@ -813,9 +813,8 @@ int timerlat_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 out_hist:
 	timerlat_free_histogram(tool->data);
+	osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	osnoise_destroy_tool(tool);
-	if (params->trace_output)
-		osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	free(params);
 out_exit:
 	exit(return_value);
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c
index 1ebd5291539c..d4187f6534ed 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c
@@ -521,9 +521,9 @@ timerlat_top_set_signals(struct timerlat_top_params *params)
 int timerlat_top_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct timerlat_top_params *params;
+	struct osnoise_tool *record = NULL;
+	struct osnoise_tool *top = NULL;
 	struct trace_instance *trace;
-	struct osnoise_tool *record;
-	struct osnoise_tool *top;
 	int return_value = 1;
 	int retval;
 
@@ -609,9 +609,8 @@ int timerlat_top_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 out_top:
 	timerlat_free_top(top->data);
+	osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	osnoise_destroy_tool(top);
-	if (params->trace_output)
-		osnoise_destroy_tool(record);
 	free(params);
 out_exit:
 	exit(return_value);