diff --git a/tools/perf/util/xyarray.c b/tools/perf/util/xyarray.c
index 22afbf6c536adbb291f4ee87a35edf970722fc5a..c10ba41ef3f6298eb77e624f7f1b14f41555c36c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/xyarray.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/xyarray.c
@@ -9,11 +9,19 @@ struct xyarray *xyarray__new(int xlen, int ylen, size_t entry_size)
 	if (xy != NULL) {
 		xy->entry_size = entry_size;
 		xy->row_size   = row_size;
+		xy->entries    = xlen * ylen;
 	}
 
 	return xy;
 }
 
+void xyarray__reset(struct xyarray *xy)
+{
+	size_t n = xy->entries * xy->entry_size;
+
+	memset(xy->contents, 0, n);
+}
+
 void xyarray__delete(struct xyarray *xy)
 {
 	free(xy);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h b/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h
index c488a07275dd2783f13360a341063de1d87eab6c..7f30af371b7ee692f23b9bf4aeb354584f453722 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/xyarray.h
@@ -6,11 +6,13 @@
 struct xyarray {
 	size_t row_size;
 	size_t entry_size;
+	size_t entries;
 	char contents[];
 };
 
 struct xyarray *xyarray__new(int xlen, int ylen, size_t entry_size);
 void xyarray__delete(struct xyarray *xy);
+void xyarray__reset(struct xyarray *xy);
 
 static inline void *xyarray__entry(struct xyarray *xy, int x, int y)
 {