diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_osnoise.c b/kernel/trace/trace_osnoise.c
index b61eefe5ccf53..7b3c754821e55 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_osnoise.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_osnoise.c
@@ -1548,7 +1548,7 @@ static int start_kthread(unsigned int cpu)
 static int start_per_cpu_kthreads(struct trace_array *tr)
 {
 	struct cpumask *current_mask = &save_cpumask;
-	int retval;
+	int retval = 0;
 	int cpu;
 
 	get_online_cpus();
@@ -1568,13 +1568,13 @@ static int start_per_cpu_kthreads(struct trace_array *tr)
 		retval = start_kthread(cpu);
 		if (retval) {
 			stop_per_cpu_kthreads();
-			return retval;
+			break;
 		}
 	}
 
 	put_online_cpus();
 
-	return 0;
+	return retval;
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU