diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 7ed5248f0445..e8bf92202542 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static void remote_function(void *data)
  * retry due to any failures in smp_call_function_single(), such as if the
  * task_cpu() goes offline concurrently.
  *
- * returns @func return value or -ESRCH when the process isn't running
+ * returns @func return value or -ESRCH or -ENXIO when the process isn't running
  */
 static int
 task_function_call(struct task_struct *p, remote_function_f func, void *info)
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ task_function_call(struct task_struct *p, remote_function_f func, void *info)
 	for (;;) {
 		ret = smp_call_function_single(task_cpu(p), remote_function,
 					       &data, 1);
-		ret = !ret ? data.ret : -EAGAIN;
+		if (!ret)
+			ret = data.ret;
 
 		if (ret != -EAGAIN)
 			break;