diff --git a/pkg/winperfcounters/watcher.go b/pkg/winperfcounters/watcher.go
index 727d35ccd30c..6a1e11d04ba7 100644
--- a/pkg/winperfcounters/watcher.go
+++ b/pkg/winperfcounters/watcher.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 package winperfcounters // import "github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/pkg/winperfcounters"
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
@@ -104,8 +105,8 @@ func (pc *perfCounter) Path() string {
 
 func (pc *perfCounter) ScrapeData() ([]CounterValue, error) {
 	if err := pc.query.CollectData(); err != nil {
-		pdhErr, ok := err.(*win_perf_counters.PdhError)
-		if !ok || pdhErr.ErrorCode != win_perf_counters.PDH_CALC_NEGATIVE_DENOMINATOR {
+		var pdhErr *win_perf_counters.PdhError
+		if !errors.As(err, &pdhErr) || pdhErr.ErrorCode != win_perf_counters.PDH_CALC_NEGATIVE_DENOMINATOR {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to collect data for performance counter '%s': %w", pc.path, err)
 		}