diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c b/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c
index 9d4ac90ca87e..66fb1d53d0f0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c
@@ -613,6 +613,16 @@ __cmd_probe(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
 
 		ret = perf_add_probe_events(params.events, params.nevents);
 		if (ret < 0) {
+
+			/*
+			 * When perf_add_probe_events() fails it calls
+			 * cleanup_perf_probe_events(pevs, npevs), i.e.
+			 * cleanup_perf_probe_events(params.events, params.nevents), which
+			 * will call clear_perf_probe_event(), so set nevents to zero
+			 * to avoid cleanup_params() to call clear_perf_probe_event() again
+			 * on the same pevs.
+			 */
+			params.nevents = 0;
 			pr_err_with_code("  Error: Failed to add events.", ret);
 			return ret;
 		}