diff --git a/tools/lib/perf/include/internal/rc_check.h b/tools/lib/perf/include/internal/rc_check.h
index c0626d8beb59..d5d771ccdc7b 100644
--- a/tools/lib/perf/include/internal/rc_check.h
+++ b/tools/lib/perf/include/internal/rc_check.h
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <linux/zalloc.h>
 
+/*
+ * Enable reference count checking implicitly with leak checking, which is
+ * integrated into address sanitizer.
+ */
+#if defined(LEAK_SANITIZER) || defined(ADDRESS_SANITIZER)
+#define REFCNT_CHECKING 1
+#endif
+
 /*
  * Shared reference count checking macros.
  *