diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index dcedfe00f04d..749246817aed 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -1411,6 +1411,13 @@ int cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto exit;
 
+	/*
+	 * tasks_mode require access to exited threads to list those that are in
+	 * the data file. Off-cpu events are synthesized after other events and
+	 * reference exited threads.
+	 */
+	symbol_conf.keep_exited_threads = true;
+
 	annotation_options__init(&report.annotation_opts);
 
 	ret = perf_config(report__config, &report);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index e6a8d758f6fe..7c6874804660 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -2158,9 +2158,13 @@ int machine__process_exit_event(struct machine *machine, union perf_event *event
 	if (dump_trace)
 		perf_event__fprintf_task(event, stdout);
 
-	if (thread != NULL)
-		thread__put(thread);
-
+	if (thread != NULL) {
+		if (symbol_conf.keep_exited_threads)
+			thread__set_exited(thread, /*exited=*/true);
+		else
+			machine__remove_thread(machine, thread);
+	}
+	thread__put(thread);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.c b/tools/perf/util/session.c
index 1e9aa8ed15b6..c6afba7ab1a5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.c
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ static int perf_session__open(struct perf_session *session, int repipe_fd)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	if (perf_header__has_feat(&session->header, HEADER_AUXTRACE)) {
+		/* Auxiliary events may reference exited threads, hold onto dead ones. */
+		symbol_conf.keep_exited_threads = true;
+	}
+
 	if (perf_data__is_pipe(data))
 		return 0;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h b/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h
index 2b2fb9e224b0..6040286e07a6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol_conf.h
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ struct symbol_conf {
 			disable_add2line_warn,
 			buildid_mmap2,
 			guest_code,
-			lazy_load_kernel_maps;
+			lazy_load_kernel_maps,
+			keep_exited_threads;
 	const char	*vmlinux_name,
 			*kallsyms_name,
 			*source_prefix,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.h b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
index e79225a0ea46..0df775b5c110 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
@@ -36,13 +36,22 @@ struct thread_rb_node {
 };
 
 DECLARE_RC_STRUCT(thread) {
+	/** @maps: mmaps associated with this thread. */
 	struct maps		*maps;
 	pid_t			pid_; /* Not all tools update this */
+	/** @tid: thread ID number unique to a machine. */
 	pid_t			tid;
+	/** @ppid: parent process of the process this thread belongs to. */
 	pid_t			ppid;
 	int			cpu;
 	int			guest_cpu; /* For QEMU thread */
 	refcount_t		refcnt;
+	/**
+	 * @exited: Has the thread had an exit event. Such threads are usually
+	 * removed from the machine's threads but some events/tools require
+	 * access to dead threads.
+	 */
+	bool			exited;
 	bool			comm_set;
 	int			comm_len;
 	struct list_head	namespaces_list;
@@ -189,6 +198,11 @@ static inline refcount_t *thread__refcnt(struct thread *thread)
 	return &RC_CHK_ACCESS(thread)->refcnt;
 }
 
+static inline void thread__set_exited(struct thread *thread, bool exited)
+{
+	RC_CHK_ACCESS(thread)->exited = exited;
+}
+
 static inline bool thread__comm_set(const struct thread *thread)
 {
 	return RC_CHK_ACCESS(thread)->comm_set;