diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index a1f8bde19b56..2173c23c25b4 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -11465,8 +11465,10 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (perf_need_aux_event(event) && !perf_get_aux_event(event, group_leader))
+	if (perf_need_aux_event(event) && !perf_get_aux_event(event, group_leader)) {
+		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto err_locked;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Must be under the same ctx::mutex as perf_install_in_context(),