diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
index 1889e310b73c..54c95f9bd0a3 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
@@ -6371,17 +6371,18 @@ static int event_hist_trigger_named_init(struct event_trigger_data *data)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	data->ref++;
-
-	save_named_trigger(data->named_data->name, data);
-
 	ret = event_hist_trigger_init(data->named_data);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		kfree(data->cmd_ops);
 		data->cmd_ops = &trigger_hist_cmd;
+		return ret;
 	}
 
-	return ret;
+	data->ref++;
+
+	save_named_trigger(data->named_data->name, data);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void event_hist_trigger_named_free(struct event_trigger_data *data)