diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 43838003c1a160ff56a0ae72a70dcef68631fe2f..5ac7bdb0dff79b9d3af11f2f6d8a9539ea340619 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ static int write_numa_topology(int fd, struct perf_header *h __maybe_unused,
 done:
 	free(buf);
 	fclose(fp);
-	free(node_map);
+	cpu_map__put(node_map);
 	return ret;
 }