diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
index a3c7814116c7..86bfdf5db213 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
@@ -992,10 +992,9 @@ struct perf_pmu *perf_pmu__lookup(struct list_head *pmus, int dirfd, const char
 	 * type value and format definitions. Load both right
 	 * now.
 	 */
-	if (pmu_format(pmu, dirfd, name)) {
-		free(pmu);
-		return NULL;
-	}
+	if (pmu_format(pmu, dirfd, name))
+		goto err;
+
 	pmu->is_core = is_pmu_core(name);
 	pmu->cpus = pmu_cpumask(dirfd, name, pmu->is_core);