diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index 933d14f287ca92645152f7714651a10b818e87bc..6188d2876a7128aaa68e426c3334dfcae099dc41 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ static int machine__create_modules(struct machine *machine)
 		modules = path;
 	}
 
-	if (symbol__restricted_filename(path, "/proc/modules"))
+	if (symbol__restricted_filename(modules, "/proc/modules"))
 		return -1;
 
 	file = fopen(modules, "r");