diff --git a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
index 29d015e2d900..b87221efdf7e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
@@ -1244,9 +1244,9 @@ static int __auxtrace_mmap__read(struct auxtrace_mmap *mm,
 	}
 
 	/* padding must be written by fn() e.g. record__process_auxtrace() */
-	padding = size & 7;
+	padding = size & (PERF_AUXTRACE_RECORD_ALIGNMENT - 1);
 	if (padding)
-		padding = 8 - padding;
+		padding = PERF_AUXTRACE_RECORD_ALIGNMENT - padding;
 
 	memset(&ev, 0, sizeof(ev));
 	ev.auxtrace.header.type = PERF_RECORD_AUXTRACE;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.h b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.h
index 26fb1ee5746a..1b6963e09934 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.h
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ struct record_opts;
 struct auxtrace_info_event;
 struct events_stats;
 
+/* Auxtrace records must have the same alignment as perf event records */
+#define PERF_AUXTRACE_RECORD_ALIGNMENT 8
+
 enum auxtrace_type {
 	PERF_AUXTRACE_UNKNOWN,
 	PERF_AUXTRACE_INTEL_PT,