diff --git a/tools/perf/util/event.c b/tools/perf/util/event.c
index fc690fecbfd6..a19e840db54a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/event.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/event.c
@@ -951,6 +951,7 @@ void *cpu_map_data__alloc(struct cpu_map *map, size_t *size, u16 *type, int *max
 	}
 
 	*size += sizeof(struct cpu_map_data);
+	*size = PERF_ALIGN(*size, sizeof(u64));
 	return zalloc(*size);
 }