diff --git a/pkg/binlog-filter/filter.go b/pkg/binlog-filter/filter.go
index 8f66d25f..a4e38aa8 100644
--- a/pkg/binlog-filter/filter.go
+++ b/pkg/binlog-filter/filter.go
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/pingcap/errors"
+	"github.com/pingcap/log"
 	selector "github.com/pingcap/tidb-tools/pkg/table-rule-selector"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
 )
 
 // ActionType indicates how to handle matched items
@@ -216,7 +218,7 @@ func NewBinlogEvent(caseSensitive bool, rules []*BinlogEventRule) (*BinlogEvent,
 
 	for _, rule := range rules {
 		if err := b.AddRule(rule); err != nil {
-			return nil, errors.Annotatef(err, "initial rule %+v in binlog event filter", rule)
+			log.Error("invalid binlog event rule", zap.Error(err))
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/binlog-filter/filter_test.go b/pkg/binlog-filter/filter_test.go
index 55e564c4..fe73823b 100644
--- a/pkg/binlog-filter/filter_test.go
+++ b/pkg/binlog-filter/filter_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func (t *testFilterSuite) TestFilter(c *C) {
 		{"Test_1_*", "abc*", []EventType{DeleteEvent, InsertEvent, CreateIndex, DropIndex, DropView}, []string{"^DROP\\s+PROCEDURE", "^CREATE\\s+PROCEDURE"}, nil, Ignore},
 		{"xxx_*", "abc_*", []EventType{AllDML, NoneDDL}, nil, nil, Ignore},
 		{"yyy_*", "abc_*", []EventType{EventType("ALL DML")}, nil, nil, Do},
+		{"Test_1_*", "abc*", []EventType{"wrong event"}, []string{"^DROP\\s+PROCEDURE", "^CREATE\\s+PROCEDURE"}, nil, Ignore},
 	}
 
 	cases := []struct {
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ func (t *testFilterSuite) TestFilter(c *C) {
 	rules[0].Events = []EventType{}
 	rules[1].Action = Do
 	rules[2].Events = []EventType{"ALL DDL"}
+	rules = rules[:3]
 	for _, rule := range rules {
 		err = filter.UpdateRule(rule)
 		c.Assert(err, IsNil)