diff --git a/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c b/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c
index 0c0ca21d807d..ed505c6de7ca 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ __poll_t ring_buffer_poll_wait(struct ring_buffer *buffer, int cpu,
 		full = 0;
 	} else {
 		if (!cpumask_test_cpu(cpu, buffer->cpumask))
-			return -EINVAL;
+			return EPOLLERR;
 
 		cpu_buffer = buffer->buffers[cpu];
 		work = &cpu_buffer->irq_work;