diff --git a/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c b/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c
index 760a00e8505c..2667992f0aa2 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c
@@ -8217,7 +8217,7 @@ static __init int test_ringbuffer(void)
 
  out_free:
 	for_each_online_cpu(cpu) {
-		if (!rb_threads[cpu])
+		if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(rb_threads[cpu]))
 			break;
 		kthread_stop(rb_threads[cpu]);
 	}