diff --git a/kernel/perf_event.c b/kernel/perf_event.c
index bc46bff69620..440f9ca067b2 100644
--- a/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -2150,7 +2150,9 @@ static void free_event(struct perf_event *event)
 	if (event->destroy)
 		event->destroy(event);
 
-	put_ctx(event->ctx);
+	if (event->ctx)
+		put_ctx(event->ctx);
+
 	call_rcu(&event->rcu_head, free_event_rcu);
 }