diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index d0484e4ee679..3404c40dee34 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ struct tep_event *evsel__tp_format(struct evsel *evsel)
 		tp_format = trace_event__tp_format(evsel->tp_sys, evsel->tp_name);
 
 	if (IS_ERR(tp_format)) {
-		int err = -PTR_ERR(evsel->tp_format);
+		int err = -PTR_ERR(tp_format);
 
 		errno = err;
 		pr_err("Error getting tracepoint format '%s': %m\n",