diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 206c76623c06..dfc7d7a0ec4e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -2256,9 +2256,12 @@ void parse_events_error__exit(struct parse_events_error *err)
 void parse_events_error__handle(struct parse_events_error *err, int idx,
 				char *str, char *help)
 {
-	if (WARN(!str, "WARNING: failed to provide error string\n")) {
-		free(help);
-		return;
+	if (WARN(!str, "WARNING: failed to provide error string\n"))
+		goto out_free;
+	if (!err) {
+		/* Assume caller does not want message printed */
+		pr_debug("event syntax error: %s\n", str);
+		goto out_free;
 	}
 	switch (err->num_errors) {
 	case 0:
@@ -2284,6 +2287,11 @@ void parse_events_error__handle(struct parse_events_error *err, int idx,
 		break;
 	}
 	err->num_errors++;
+	return;
+
+out_free:
+	free(str);
+	free(help);
 }
 
 #define MAX_WIDTH 1000