diff --git a/tools/perf/util/srcline.c b/tools/perf/util/srcline.c
index af468e3bb6fab..5319efb16a5a3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/srcline.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/srcline.c
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ char *__get_srcline(struct dso *dso, u64 addr, struct symbol *sym,
 
 	if (!show_addr)
 		return (show_sym && sym) ?
-			    strndup(sym->name, sym->namelen) : NULL;
+			    strndup(sym->name, sym->namelen) : SRCLINE_UNKNOWN;
 
 	if (sym) {
 		if (asprintf(&srcline, "%s+%" PRIu64, show_sym ? sym->name : "",