diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
index 5221f272f85c..b171d134ce87 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ static int elf_read_build_id(Elf *elf, void *bf, size_t size)
 				size_t sz = min(size, descsz);
 				memcpy(bf, ptr, sz);
 				memset(bf + sz, 0, size - sz);
-				err = descsz;
+				err = sz;
 				break;
 			}
 		}