diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kwork.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kwork.c
index 14bf7a8429e7..73b5dc099a8a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kwork.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kwork.c
@@ -406,12 +406,14 @@ static int work_push_atom(struct perf_kwork *kwork,
 
 	work = work_findnew(&class->work_root, &key, &kwork->cmp_id);
 	if (work == NULL) {
-		free(atom);
+		atom_free(atom);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (!profile_event_match(kwork, work, sample))
+	if (!profile_event_match(kwork, work, sample)) {
+		atom_free(atom);
 		return 0;
+	}
 
 	if (dst_type < KWORK_TRACE_MAX) {
 		dst_atom = list_last_entry_or_null(&work->atom_list[dst_type],