diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 77b8748ad5ed..589e0412652a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -2152,8 +2152,8 @@ static int trace__event_handler(struct trace *trace, struct perf_evsel *evsel,
 		trace__fprintf_callchain(trace, sample);
 	else if (callchain_ret < 0)
 		pr_err("Problem processing %s callchain, skipping...\n", perf_evsel__name(evsel));
-	thread__put(thread);
 out:
+	thread__put(thread);
 	return 0;
 }