diff --git a/kernel/torture.c b/kernel/torture.c
index 77cb3589b19f..8c4e6b2fe8ba 100644
--- a/kernel/torture.c
+++ b/kernel/torture.c
@@ -577,6 +577,8 @@ static int torture_shuffle(void *arg)
  */
 int torture_shuffle_init(long shuffint)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	shuffle_interval = shuffint;
 
 	shuffle_idle_cpu = -1;
@@ -587,7 +589,10 @@ int torture_shuffle_init(long shuffint)
 	}
 
 	/* Create the shuffler thread */
-	return torture_create_kthread(torture_shuffle, NULL, shuffler_task);
+	ret = torture_create_kthread(torture_shuffle, NULL, shuffler_task);
+	if (ret)
+		free_cpumask_var(shuffle_tmp_mask);
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(torture_shuffle_init);