diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events.c
index 578f1f7d49a61a..3ecc41f6acd960 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events.c
@@ -2420,14 +2420,15 @@ event_create_dir(struct dentry *parent, struct trace_event_file *file)
 
 	/*
 	 * If the trace point header did not define TRACE_SYSTEM
-	 * then the system would be called "TRACE_SYSTEM".
+	 * then the system would be called "TRACE_SYSTEM". This should
+	 * never happen.
 	 */
-	if (strcmp(call->class->system, TRACE_SYSTEM) != 0) {
-		d_events = event_subsystem_dir(tr, call->class->system, file, parent);
-		if (!d_events)
-			return -ENOMEM;
-	} else
-		d_events = parent;
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(strcmp(call->class->system, TRACE_SYSTEM) == 0))
+		return -ENODEV;
+
+	d_events = event_subsystem_dir(tr, call->class->system, file, parent);
+	if (!d_events)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	name = trace_event_name(call);
 	file->dir = tracefs_create_dir(name, d_events);