diff --git a/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c b/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
index ab402fb2dcf7..d4b0bac80dc8 100644
--- a/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
+++ b/tools/lib/traceevent/parse-filter.c
@@ -56,7 +56,21 @@ static void show_error(char **error_str, const char *fmt, ...)
 	index = pevent_get_input_buf_ptr();
 	len = input ? strlen(input) : 0;
 
-	error = malloc_or_die(MAX_ERR_STR_SIZE + (len*2) + 3);
+	error = malloc(MAX_ERR_STR_SIZE + (len*2) + 3);
+	if (error == NULL) {
+		/*
+		 * Maybe it's due to len is too long.
+		 * Retry without the input buffer part.
+		 */
+		len = 0;
+
+		error = malloc(MAX_ERR_STR_SIZE);
+		if (error == NULL) {
+			/* no memory */
+			*error_str = NULL;
+			return;
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (len) {
 		strcpy(error, input);