diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
index 431dba8b7542..c154797a7ff7 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
@@ -2002,7 +2002,7 @@ static int ftrace_function_set_regexp(struct ftrace_ops *ops, int filter,
 static int __ftrace_function_set_filter(int filter, char *buf, int len,
 					struct function_filter_data *data)
 {
-	int i, re_cnt, ret;
+	int i, re_cnt, ret = -EINVAL;
 	int *reset;
 	char **re;