diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
index bce3a4cb4c89..ca0a6ca43b13 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ int test__task_exit(struct test *test __maybe_unused, int subtest __maybe_unused
 	if (evlist__mmap(evlist, 128) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap events: %d (%s)\n", errno,
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		err = -1;
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}