diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/record+probe_libc_inet_pton.sh b/tools/perf/tests/shell/record+probe_libc_inet_pton.sh
index 09f41f503136..3013ac8f83d0 100755
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/record+probe_libc_inet_pton.sh
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/record+probe_libc_inet_pton.sh
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ trace_libc_inet_pton_backtrace() {
 		echo "$line" | egrep -q "$pattern"
 		if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
 			printf "FAIL: expected backtrace entry \"%s\" got \"%s\"\n" "$pattern" "$line"
-			exit 1
+			return 1
 		fi
 	done