diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 46e2772f838ed..515510ecc76a4 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -324,7 +324,10 @@ static int record__open(struct record *rec)
 		} else {
 			pr_err("failed to mmap with %d (%s)\n", errno,
 				strerror_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
-			rc = -errno;
+			if (errno)
+				rc = -errno;
+			else
+				rc = -EINVAL;
 		}
 		goto out;
 	}