diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
index 2284cda78abe..deca07d57282 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
@@ -645,6 +645,8 @@ static int cs_etm__init_traceid_queue(struct cs_etm_queue *etmq,
 					       queue->tid);
 	tidq->decode_thread = machine__findnew_thread(&etm->session->machines.host, -1,
 					       queue->tid);
+	if (!tidq->frontend_thread || !tidq->decode_thread)
+		goto out;
 
 	tidq->packet = zalloc(sizeof(struct cs_etm_packet));
 	if (!tidq->packet)
@@ -679,6 +681,8 @@ static int cs_etm__init_traceid_queue(struct cs_etm_queue *etmq,
 	zfree(&tidq->prev_packet);
 	zfree(&tidq->packet);
 out:
+	thread__zput(tidq->frontend_thread);
+	thread__zput(tidq->decode_thread);
 	return rc;
 }