diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/annotate.c b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/annotate.c
index ba72e018e99a..d4d7cc27252f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/annotate.c
@@ -1152,9 +1152,9 @@ static int annotate__config(const char *var, const char *value,
 		      sizeof(struct annotate_config), annotate_config__cmp);
 
 	if (cfg == NULL)
-		return -1;
-
-	*cfg->value = perf_config_bool(name, value);
+		ui__warning("%s variable unknown, ignoring...", var);
+	else
+		*cfg->value = perf_config_bool(name, value);
 	return 0;
 }