diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
index 0207aeed31e6..16a9dfc9fffc 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
@@ -1689,7 +1689,9 @@ static struct hist_field *create_hist_field(struct hist_trigger_data *hist_data,
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!field))
 		goto out;
 
-	if (is_string_field(field)) {
+	/* Pointers to strings are just pointers and dangerous to dereference */
+	if (is_string_field(field) &&
+	    (field->filter_type != FILTER_PTR_STRING)) {
 		flags |= HIST_FIELD_FL_STRING;
 
 		hist_field->size = MAX_FILTER_STR_VAL;
@@ -4495,8 +4497,6 @@ static inline void add_to_key(char *compound_key, void *key,
 		field = key_field->field;
 		if (field->filter_type == FILTER_DYN_STRING)
 			size = *(u32 *)(rec + field->offset) >> 16;
-		else if (field->filter_type == FILTER_PTR_STRING)
-			size = strlen(key);
 		else if (field->filter_type == FILTER_STATIC_STRING)
 			size = field->size;