diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 53f620472151..d0b92d374ba9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -2300,7 +2300,7 @@ restart:
 		if (!name_only && strlen(syms->alias))
 			snprintf(name, MAX_NAME_LEN, "%s OR %s", syms->symbol, syms->alias);
 		else
-			strncpy(name, syms->symbol, MAX_NAME_LEN);
+			strlcpy(name, syms->symbol, MAX_NAME_LEN);
 
 		evt_list[evt_i] = strdup(name);
 		if (evt_list[evt_i] == NULL)