diff --git a/lib/trace-cmd/include/trace-cmd-local.h b/lib/trace-cmd/include/trace-cmd-local.h
index 821b5cdb..7f3b45a8 100644
--- a/lib/trace-cmd/include/trace-cmd-local.h
+++ b/lib/trace-cmd/include/trace-cmd-local.h
@@ -31,5 +31,7 @@ void tracecmd_info(const char *fmt, ...);
 #endif
 #endif
 
+bool check_file_state(unsigned long file_version, int current_state, int new_state);
+bool check_out_state(struct tracecmd_output *handle, int new_state);
 
 #endif /* _TRACE_CMD_LOCAL_H */
diff --git a/lib/trace-cmd/trace-input.c b/lib/trace-cmd/trace-input.c
index dd7689a3..2f749d0b 100644
--- a/lib/trace-cmd/trace-input.c
+++ b/lib/trace-cmd/trace-input.c
@@ -4224,3 +4224,4 @@ int tracecmd_enable_tsync(struct tracecmd_input *handle, bool enable)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
diff --git a/lib/trace-cmd/trace-output.c b/lib/trace-cmd/trace-output.c
index a8de107c..fe1d1aaa 100644
--- a/lib/trace-cmd/trace-output.c
+++ b/lib/trace-cmd/trace-output.c
@@ -307,33 +307,6 @@ int tracecmd_ftrace_enable(int set)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int check_out_state(struct tracecmd_output *handle, int new_state)
-{
-	if (!handle)
-		return -1;
-
-	switch (new_state) {
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_HEADERS:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_FTRACE_EVENTS:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_ALL_EVENTS:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_KALLSYMS:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_PRINTK:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_CMD_LINES:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_COUNT:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS:
-		if (handle->file_state == (new_state - 1))
-			return 0;
-		break;
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_LATENCY:
-	case TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_FLYRECORD:
-		if (handle->file_state == TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS)
-			return 0;
-		break;
-	}
-
-	return -1;
-}
-
 static int read_header_files(struct tracecmd_output *handle)
 {
 	tsize_t size, check_size, endian8;
@@ -342,7 +315,7 @@ static int read_header_files(struct tracecmd_output *handle)
 	int fd;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_HEADERS) < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_HEADERS)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot read header files, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
 		return -1;
@@ -654,7 +627,7 @@ static int read_ftrace_files(struct tracecmd_output *handle)
 	struct tracecmd_event_list list = { .glob = "ftrace/*" };
 	int ret;
 
-	if (check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_FTRACE_EVENTS) < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_FTRACE_EVENTS)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot read ftrace files, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
 		return -1;
@@ -695,7 +668,7 @@ static int read_event_files(struct tracecmd_output *handle,
 	int endian4;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_ALL_EVENTS) < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_ALL_EVENTS)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot read event files, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
 		return -1;
@@ -787,7 +760,7 @@ static int read_proc_kallsyms(struct tracecmd_output *handle,
 	struct stat st;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_KALLSYMS) < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_KALLSYMS)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot read kallsyms, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
 		return -1;
@@ -832,7 +805,7 @@ static int read_ftrace_printk(struct tracecmd_output *handle)
 	char *path;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_PRINTK) < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_PRINTK)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot read printk, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
 		return -1;
@@ -1134,11 +1107,10 @@ int tracecmd_write_cpus(struct tracecmd_output *handle, int cpus)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_COUNT);
-	if (ret < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_COUNT)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot write CPU count into the file, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
-		return ret;
+		return -1;
 	}
 	cpus = convert_endian_4(handle, cpus);
 	ret = do_write_check(handle, &cpus, 4);
@@ -1154,16 +1126,14 @@ int tracecmd_write_options(struct tracecmd_output *handle)
 	unsigned short option;
 	unsigned short endian2;
 	unsigned int endian4;
-	int ret;
 
 	/* If already written, ignore */
 	if (handle->file_state == TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS)
 		return 0;
-	ret = check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS);
-	if (ret < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot write options into the file, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
-		return ret;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (do_write_check(handle, "options  ", 10))
@@ -1281,11 +1251,10 @@ int tracecmd_write_cmdlines(struct tracecmd_output *handle)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CMD_LINES);
-	if (ret < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CMD_LINES)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot write command lines into the file, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
-		return ret;
+		return -1;
 	}
 	ret = save_tracing_file_data(handle, "saved_cmdlines");
 	if (ret < 0)
@@ -1298,7 +1267,6 @@ struct tracecmd_output *tracecmd_create_file_latency(const char *output_file, in
 {
 	struct tracecmd_output *handle;
 	char *path;
-	int ret;
 
 	handle = create_file(output_file, NULL, NULL, NULL, &all_event_list);
 	if (!handle)
@@ -1316,8 +1284,7 @@ struct tracecmd_output *tracecmd_create_file_latency(const char *output_file, in
 	if (tracecmd_write_options(handle) < 0)
 		goto out_free;
 
-	ret = check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_LATENCY);
-	if (ret < 0) {
+	if (!check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_LATENCY)) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot write latency data into the file, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
 		goto out_free;
@@ -1399,7 +1366,9 @@ int tracecmd_write_cpu_data(struct tracecmd_output *handle,
 
 	/* This can be called multiple times (when recording instances) */
 	ret = handle->file_state == TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_FLYRECORD ? 0 :
-		check_out_state(handle, TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_FLYRECORD);
+				    check_file_state(handle->file_version,
+						     handle->file_state,
+						     TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_FLYRECORD);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		tracecmd_warning("Cannot write trace data into the file, unexpected state 0x%X",
 				 handle->file_state);
@@ -1661,3 +1630,8 @@ out_free:
 	tracecmd_output_close(handle);
 	return NULL;
 }
+
+__hidden bool check_out_state(struct tracecmd_output *handle, int new_state)
+{
+	return check_file_state(handle->file_version, handle->file_state, new_state);
+}
diff --git a/lib/trace-cmd/trace-util.c b/lib/trace-cmd/trace-util.c
index 9bc94822..db7ce7ee 100644
--- a/lib/trace-cmd/trace-util.c
+++ b/lib/trace-cmd/trace-util.c
@@ -624,3 +624,31 @@ bool tracecmd_is_version_supported(unsigned int version)
 		return true;
 	return false;
 }
+
+__hidden bool check_file_state(unsigned long file_version, int current_state, int new_state)
+{
+	switch (new_state) {
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_HEADERS:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_FTRACE_EVENTS:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_ALL_EVENTS:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_KALLSYMS:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_PRINTK:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_CMD_LINES:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_COUNT:
+		if (current_state == (new_state - 1))
+			return true;
+		break;
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS:
+		if (current_state == (new_state - 1))
+			return true;
+		break;
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_LATENCY:
+	case TRACECMD_FILE_CPU_FLYRECORD:
+		if (current_state == TRACECMD_FILE_OPTIONS)
+			return true;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
