diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 5f54777d8ba0..c607f39b8c8b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -4441,7 +4441,7 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	if (trace->summary_mode == SUMMARY__BY_TOTAL && !trace->summary_bpf) {
 		trace->syscall_stats = alloc_syscall_stats();
-		if (trace->syscall_stats == NULL)
+		if (IS_ERR(trace->syscall_stats))
 			goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
@@ -4749,7 +4749,7 @@ static int trace__replay(struct trace *trace)
 
 	if (trace->summary_mode == SUMMARY__BY_TOTAL) {
 		trace->syscall_stats = alloc_syscall_stats();
-		if (trace->syscall_stats == NULL)
+		if (IS_ERR(trace->syscall_stats))
 			goto out;
 	}