diff --git a/tools/perf/util/expr.c b/tools/perf/util/expr.c
index 465fe2e9bbbe..b7664cb68554 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/expr.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/expr.c
@@ -376,7 +376,8 @@ int expr__find_ids(const char *expr, const char *one,
 	if (one)
 		expr__del_id(ctx, one);
 
-	return ret;
+	/* A positive value means syntax error, convert to -EINVAL */
+	return ret > 0 ? -EINVAL : ret;
 }
 
 double expr_id_data__value(const struct expr_id_data *data)