diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/functions b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/functions
index 779ec11f61bda8f88502ea04430d4fd89e1d575b..1d96c5f7e402b74d0bb83b5466c79fcba96b6545 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/functions
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/functions
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ initialize_ftrace() { # Reset ftrace to initial-state
     reset_events_filter
     reset_ftrace_filter
     disable_events
-    echo > set_event_pid	# event tracer is always on
-    echo > set_ftrace_pid
+    [ -f set_event_pid ] && echo > set_event_pid
+    [ -f set_ftrace_pid ] && echo > set_ftrace_pid
     [ -f set_ftrace_filter ] && echo | tee set_ftrace_*
     [ -f set_graph_function ] && echo | tee set_graph_*
     [ -f stack_trace_filter ] && echo > stack_trace_filter