diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 7afd0b503406..26de0a5ee887 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -3522,7 +3522,8 @@ static void cpu_ctx_sched_out(struct perf_cpu_context *cpuctx,
 
 static bool perf_less_group_idx(const void *l, const void *r)
 {
-	const struct perf_event *le = l, *re = r;
+	const struct perf_event *le = *(const struct perf_event **)l;
+	const struct perf_event *re = *(const struct perf_event **)r;
 
 	return le->group_index < re->group_index;
 }