diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
index e0d9480dc371d6a7964134b4ca90ed10ef62e287..d99497ec52aa1b417abe7736afe87aa591f968c9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
@@ -966,7 +966,8 @@ static size_t elf_addr_to_index(Elf *elf, GElf_Addr addr)
 }
 
 static int dso__load_sym(struct dso *self, struct map *map, const char *name,
-			 int fd, symbol_filter_t filter, int kmodule)
+			 int fd, symbol_filter_t filter, int kmodule,
+			 int want_symtab)
 {
 	struct kmap *kmap = self->kernel ? map__kmap(map) : NULL;
 	struct map *curr_map = map;
@@ -995,6 +996,7 @@ static int dso__load_sym(struct dso *self, struct map *map, const char *name,
 		goto out_elf_end;
 	}
 
+	/* Always reject images with a mismatched build-id: */
 	if (self->has_build_id) {
 		u8 build_id[BUILD_ID_SIZE];
 
@@ -1008,6 +1010,9 @@ static int dso__load_sym(struct dso *self, struct map *map, const char *name,
 
 	sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &ehdr, &shdr, ".symtab", NULL);
 	if (sec == NULL) {
+		if (want_symtab)
+			goto out_elf_end;
+
 		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &ehdr, &shdr, ".dynsym", NULL);
 		if (sec == NULL)
 			goto out_elf_end;
@@ -1365,6 +1370,7 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 	int fd;
 	struct machine *machine;
 	const char *root_dir;
+	int want_symtab;
 
 	dso__set_loaded(self, map->type);
 
@@ -1391,13 +1397,18 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	self->origin = DSO__ORIG_BUILD_ID_CACHE;
-	if (dso__build_id_filename(self, name, size) != NULL)
-		goto open_file;
-more:
-	do {
-		self->origin++;
+	/* Iterate over candidate debug images.
+	 * On the first pass, only load images if they have a full symtab.
+	 * Failing that, do a second pass where we accept .dynsym also
+	 */
+	for (self->origin = DSO__ORIG_BUILD_ID_CACHE, want_symtab = 1;
+	     self->origin != DSO__ORIG_NOT_FOUND;
+	     self->origin++) {
 		switch (self->origin) {
+		case DSO__ORIG_BUILD_ID_CACHE:
+			if (dso__build_id_filename(self, name, size) == NULL)
+				continue;
+			break;
 		case DSO__ORIG_FEDORA:
 			snprintf(name, size, "/usr/lib/debug%s.debug",
 				 self->long_name);
@@ -1406,19 +1417,20 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 			snprintf(name, size, "/usr/lib/debug%s",
 				 self->long_name);
 			break;
-		case DSO__ORIG_BUILDID:
-			if (self->has_build_id) {
-				char build_id_hex[BUILD_ID_SIZE * 2 + 1];
-				build_id__sprintf(self->build_id,
-						  sizeof(self->build_id),
-						  build_id_hex);
-				snprintf(name, size,
-					 "/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/%.2s/%s.debug",
-					build_id_hex, build_id_hex + 2);
-				break;
+		case DSO__ORIG_BUILDID: {
+			char build_id_hex[BUILD_ID_SIZE * 2 + 1];
+
+			if (!self->has_build_id)
+				continue;
+
+			build_id__sprintf(self->build_id,
+					  sizeof(self->build_id),
+					  build_id_hex);
+			snprintf(name, size,
+				 "/usr/lib/debug/.build-id/%.2s/%s.debug",
+				 build_id_hex, build_id_hex + 2);
 			}
-			self->origin++;
-			/* Fall thru */
+			break;
 		case DSO__ORIG_DSO:
 			snprintf(name, size, "%s", self->long_name);
 			break;
@@ -1431,27 +1443,41 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 			break;
 
 		default:
-			goto out;
+			/*
+			 * If we wanted a full symtab but no image had one,
+			 * relax our requirements and repeat the search.
+			 */
+			if (want_symtab) {
+				want_symtab = 0;
+				self->origin = DSO__ORIG_BUILD_ID_CACHE;
+			} else
+				continue;
 		}
-open_file:
+
+		/* Name is now the name of the next image to try */
 		fd = open(name, O_RDONLY);
-	} while (fd < 0);
+		if (fd < 0)
+			continue;
 
-	ret = dso__load_sym(self, map, name, fd, filter, 0);
-	close(fd);
+		ret = dso__load_sym(self, map, name, fd, filter, 0,
+				    want_symtab);
+		close(fd);
 
-	/*
-	 * Some people seem to have debuginfo files _WITHOUT_ debug info!?!?
-	 */
-	if (!ret)
-		goto more;
+		/*
+		 * Some people seem to have debuginfo files _WITHOUT_ debug
+		 * info!?!?
+		 */
+		if (!ret)
+			continue;
 
-	if (ret > 0) {
-		int nr_plt = dso__synthesize_plt_symbols(self, map, filter);
-		if (nr_plt > 0)
-			ret += nr_plt;
+		if (ret > 0) {
+			int nr_plt = dso__synthesize_plt_symbols(self, map, filter);
+			if (nr_plt > 0)
+				ret += nr_plt;
+			break;
+		}
 	}
-out:
+
 	free(name);
 	if (ret < 0 && strstr(self->name, " (deleted)") != NULL)
 		return 0;
@@ -1715,7 +1741,7 @@ static int dso__load_vmlinux(struct dso *self, struct map *map,
 		return -1;
 
 	dso__set_loaded(self, map->type);
-	err = dso__load_sym(self, map, vmlinux, fd, filter, 0);
+	err = dso__load_sym(self, map, vmlinux, fd, filter, 0, 0);
 	close(fd);
 
 	if (err > 0)