diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_events_synth.c b/kernel/trace/trace_events_synth.c
index 47eb92b3edd07..2fdf3fd591e18 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_events_synth.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_events_synth.c
@@ -1275,12 +1275,12 @@ static int __create_synth_event(const char *name, const char *raw_fields)
 				goto err;
 			}
 
-			fields[n_fields++] = field;
 			if (n_fields == SYNTH_FIELDS_MAX) {
 				synth_err(SYNTH_ERR_TOO_MANY_FIELDS, 0);
 				ret = -EINVAL;
 				goto err;
 			}
+			fields[n_fields++] = field;
 
 			n_fields_this_loop++;
 		}