diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
index c8cf2fdd9cff..eb3ef5c24b66 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
@@ -2265,6 +2265,12 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)
 		"perf inject [<options>]",
 		NULL
 	};
+
+	if (!inject.itrace_synth_opts.set) {
+		/* Disable eager loading of kernel symbols that adds overhead to perf inject. */
+		symbol_conf.lazy_load_kernel_maps = true;
+	}
+
 #ifndef HAVE_JITDUMP
 	set_option_nobuild(options, 'j', "jit", "NO_LIBELF=1", true);
 #endif
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index dcf288a4fb9a..8ec818568662 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -3989,6 +3989,8 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 # undef set_nobuild
 #endif
 
+	/* Disable eager loading of kernel symbols that adds overhead to perf record. */
+	symbol_conf.lazy_load_kernel_maps = true;
 	rec->opts.affinity = PERF_AFFINITY_SYS;
 
 	rec->evlist = evlist__new();
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/event.c b/tools/perf/util/event.c
index 923c0fb15122..68f45e9e63b6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/event.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/event.c
@@ -617,13 +617,13 @@ struct map *thread__find_map(struct thread *thread, u8 cpumode, u64 addr,
 	if (cpumode == PERF_RECORD_MISC_KERNEL && perf_host) {
 		al->level = 'k';
 		maps = machine__kernel_maps(machine);
-		load_map = true;
+		load_map = !symbol_conf.lazy_load_kernel_maps;
 	} else if (cpumode == PERF_RECORD_MISC_USER && perf_host) {
 		al->level = '.';
 	} else if (cpumode == PERF_RECORD_MISC_GUEST_KERNEL && perf_guest) {
 		al->level = 'g';
 		maps = machine__kernel_maps(machine);
-		load_map = true;
+		load_map = !symbol_conf.lazy_load_kernel_maps;
 	} else if (cpumode == PERF_RECORD_MISC_GUEST_USER && perf_guest) {
 		al->level = 'u';
 	} else {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h b/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h
index 0b589570d1d0..2b2fb9e224b0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ struct symbol_conf {
 			inline_name,
 			disable_add2line_warn,
 			buildid_mmap2,
-			guest_code;
+			guest_code,
+			lazy_load_kernel_maps;
 	const char	*vmlinux_name,
 			*kallsyms_name,
 			*source_prefix,