diff --git a/lisa/trace.py b/lisa/trace.py
index 2a21e565b329eab2c7e112e9a3f556fba4a22d03..a5056da5165753b6a05ebbb9886244989eceb4b6 100644
--- a/lisa/trace.py
+++ b/lisa/trace.py
@@ -3708,7 +3708,6 @@ class Trace(Loggable, TraceBase):
 
         :Variable keyword arguments: Forwarded to :class:`Trace`.
         """
-        ftrace_coll = FtraceCollector(target, events=events, buffer_size=buffer_size)
         plat_info = target.plat_info
 
         class TraceProxy(TraceBase):
@@ -3726,9 +3725,6 @@ class Trace(Loggable, TraceBase):
 
         proxy = TraceProxy()
 
-        with ftrace_coll:
-            yield proxy
-
         if filepath:
             cm = nullcontext(filepath)
         else:
@@ -3740,7 +3736,10 @@ class Trace(Loggable, TraceBase):
             cm = cm_func()
 
         with cm as path:
-            ftrace_coll.get_data(path)
+            ftrace_coll = FtraceCollector(target, events=events, buffer_size=buffer_size, output_path=path)
+            with ftrace_coll:
+                yield proxy
+
             trace = cls(
                 path,
                 events=events,
@@ -5670,7 +5669,8 @@ class FtraceCollector(CollectorBase, Configurable):
         needed_from_kmod = missing_events | missing_optional_events
         kmod = None
         kmod_cm = None
-        if needed_from_kmod and kmod_auto_load:
+        need_kmod = needed_from_kmod and kmod_auto_load
+        if need_kmod:
             self.logger.info(f'Building kernel module to try to provide the following events that are not currently available on the target: {", ".join(sorted(needed_from_kmod))}')
             try:
                 kmod, kmod_cm = self._get_kmod(
@@ -5689,7 +5689,9 @@ class FtraceCollector(CollectorBase, Configurable):
                     ) from e
                 else:
                     self.logger.error(f'{msg}: {e}')
+                    need_kmod = False
 
+        self._need_kmod = need_kmod
         self._kmod_cm = kmod_cm
 
         if kmod is not None:
@@ -5790,8 +5792,15 @@ class FtraceCollector(CollectorBase, Configurable):
             x = self._cm.__exit__(*args, **kwargs)
         finally:
             self._cm = None
+            self._kmod_cm = None
         return x
 
+    def get_data(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if self._need_kmod and not self._kmod_cm:
+            raise ValueError('FtraceCollector.get_data() cannot be called after the kernel module was unloaded.')
+        else:
+            return super().get_data(*args, **kwargs)
+
     @staticmethod
     def _target_available_events(target, tracing_path):
         events = target.read_value(target.path.join(tracing_path, 'available_events'))