diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_uprobe.c b/kernel/trace/trace_uprobe.c
index 32494fb0ee64..d5d0cd368a56 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_uprobe.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_uprobe.c
@@ -283,8 +283,10 @@ static int create_trace_uprobe(int argc, char **argv)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	arg = strchr(argv[1], ':');
-	if (!arg)
+	if (!arg) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto fail_address_parse;
+	}
 
 	*arg++ = '\0';
 	filename = argv[1];