diff --git a/fs/tracefs/event_inode.c b/fs/tracefs/event_inode.c
index 5fcfb634fec2..efbdc47c74dc 100644
--- a/fs/tracefs/event_inode.c
+++ b/fs/tracefs/event_inode.c
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ static int eventfs_set_attr(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
 
 	mutex_lock(&eventfs_mutex);
 	ef = dentry->d_fsdata;
-	if (ef->is_freed) {
+	if (ef && ef->is_freed) {
 		/* Do not allow changes if the event is about to be removed. */
 		mutex_unlock(&eventfs_mutex);
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
 	ret = simple_setattr(idmap, dentry, iattr);
-	if (!ret)
+	if (!ret && ef)
 		update_attr(ef, iattr);
 	mutex_unlock(&eventfs_mutex);
 	return ret;