diff --git a/tools/perf/util/trace-event-parse.c b/tools/perf/util/trace-event-parse.c
index 4cb7f3831f7..a5a554efeb5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/trace-event-parse.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/trace-event-parse.c
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ struct event_format *trace_find_next_event(struct pevent *pevent,
 {
 	static int idx;
 
-	if (!pevent->events)
+	if (!pevent || !pevent->events)
 		return NULL;
 
 	if (!event) {