diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
index 0993dfc1c5c1..2048560264bb 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_filter.c
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ static __always_inline char *test_string(char *str)
 	kstr = ubuf->buffer;
 
 	/* For safety, do not trust the string pointer */
-	if (!strncpy_from_kernel_nofault(kstr, str, USTRING_BUF_SIZE))
+	if (strncpy_from_kernel_nofault(kstr, str, USTRING_BUF_SIZE) < 0)
 		return NULL;
 	return kstr;
 }
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ static __always_inline char *test_ustring(char *str)
 
 	/* user space address? */
 	ustr = (char __user *)str;
-	if (!strncpy_from_user_nofault(kstr, ustr, USTRING_BUF_SIZE))
+	if (strncpy_from_user_nofault(kstr, ustr, USTRING_BUF_SIZE) < 0)
 		return NULL;
 
 	return kstr;