diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
index 8b33a3c87275..3cef24c6391a 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
@@ -4398,6 +4398,7 @@ static int trace_action_create(struct hist_trigger_data *hist_data,
 
 			var_ref_idx = find_var_ref_idx(hist_data, var_ref);
 			if (WARN_ON(var_ref_idx < 0)) {
+				kfree(p);
 				ret = var_ref_idx;
 				goto err;
 			}