diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index c980bbff6353..1a61628a1c12 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -251,8 +251,9 @@ struct perf_evsel *perf_evsel__new_idx(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int idx)
 {
 	struct perf_evsel *evsel = zalloc(perf_evsel__object.size);
 
-	if (evsel != NULL)
-		perf_evsel__init(evsel, attr, idx);
+	if (!evsel)
+		return NULL;
+	perf_evsel__init(evsel, attr, idx);
 
 	if (perf_evsel__is_bpf_output(evsel)) {
 		evsel->attr.sample_type |= (PERF_SAMPLE_RAW | PERF_SAMPLE_TIME |