diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index cb2cf4463c08537f1577de0026f9d02eb4100a2f..52ea004ba01e520d095e811c077011ff6c84012f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -1331,7 +1331,6 @@ static int evlist__create_syswide_maps(struct evlist *evlist)
 {
 	struct perf_cpu_map *cpus;
 	struct perf_thread_map *threads;
-	int err = -ENOMEM;
 
 	/*
 	 * Try reading /sys/devices/system/cpu/online to get
@@ -1356,7 +1355,7 @@ static int evlist__create_syswide_maps(struct evlist *evlist)
 out_put:
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 out:
-	return err;
+	return -ENOMEM;
 }
 
 int evlist__open(struct evlist *evlist)