diff --git a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
index 51c99cb08abf..8826c555f780 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
@@ -209,8 +209,8 @@ static struct metric *metric__new(const struct pmu_event *pe,
 	m->metric_name = pe->metric_name;
 	m->modifier = modifier ? strdup(modifier) : NULL;
 	if (modifier && !m->modifier) {
-		free(m);
 		expr__ctx_free(m->pctx);
+		free(m);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	m->metric_expr = pe->metric_expr;