diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
index 5527605758cb..42b89171134d 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ struct field_var {
 };
 
 struct field_var_hist {
-	struct hist_trigger_data	*hist_data;
+	struct trace_event_file		*file;
 	char				*cmd;
 };
 
@@ -3129,8 +3129,8 @@ create_field_var_hist(struct hist_trigger_data *target_hist_data,
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 	}
 
-	/* Save the compatible histogram information */
-	var_hist->hist_data = hist_data;
+	/* Needed to remove the histogram when the target goes away */
+	var_hist->file = file;
 
 	/* Create the new histogram with our variable */
 	ret = event_hist_trigger_parse(&trigger_hist_cmd, file,
@@ -6362,7 +6362,7 @@ static void unregister_field_var_hists(struct hist_trigger_data *hist_data)
 	int ret;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < hist_data->n_field_var_hists; i++) {
-		file = hist_data->field_var_hists[i]->hist_data->event_file;
+		file = hist_data->field_var_hists[i]->file;
 		cmd = hist_data->field_var_hists[i]->cmd;
 		ret = event_hist_trigger_parse(&trigger_hist_cmd, file,
 					       "!hist", "hist", cmd);