diff --git a/kernel/rcupreempt_trace.c b/kernel/rcupreempt_trace.c
index 5edf82c34bbc..35c2d3360ecf 100644
--- a/kernel/rcupreempt_trace.c
+++ b/kernel/rcupreempt_trace.c
@@ -308,11 +308,16 @@ out:
 
 static int __init rcupreempt_trace_init(void)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	mutex_init(&rcupreempt_trace_mutex);
 	rcupreempt_trace_buf = kmalloc(RCUPREEMPT_TRACE_BUF_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!rcupreempt_trace_buf)
 		return 1;
-	return rcupreempt_debugfs_init();
+	ret = rcupreempt_debugfs_init();
+	if (ret)
+		kfree(rcupreempt_trace_buf);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static void __exit rcupreempt_trace_cleanup(void)