diff --git a/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.c b/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.c
index b1abd39..83f0a8a 100644
--- a/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.c
+++ b/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.c
@@ -616,7 +616,9 @@
 {
 	struct event_format *event;
 
-	event = malloc_or_die(sizeof(*event));
+	event = malloc(sizeof(*event));
+	if (!event)
+		return NULL;
 	memset(event, 0, sizeof(*event));
 
 	return event;