diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 6d40a4ef58c5d544c89a974f13529c3c90827aae..b46b3c9f57a02b955b3217a2b59fcfda5da20419 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ static void perf_top__resize(struct perf_top *top)
 
 static int perf_top__parse_source(struct perf_top *top, struct hist_entry *he)
 {
-	struct perf_evsel *evsel = hists_to_evsel(he->hists);
+	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
 	struct symbol *sym;
 	struct annotation *notes;
 	struct map *map;
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ static int perf_top__parse_source(struct perf_top *top, struct hist_entry *he)
 	if (!he || !he->ms.sym)
 		return -1;
 
+	evsel = hists_to_evsel(he->hists);
+
 	sym = he->ms.sym;
 	map = he->ms.map;
 
@@ -226,7 +228,7 @@ static void perf_top__record_precise_ip(struct perf_top *top,
 static void perf_top__show_details(struct perf_top *top)
 {
 	struct hist_entry *he = top->sym_filter_entry;
-	struct perf_evsel *evsel = hists_to_evsel(he->hists);
+	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
 	struct annotation *notes;
 	struct symbol *symbol;
 	int more;
@@ -234,6 +236,8 @@ static void perf_top__show_details(struct perf_top *top)
 	if (!he)
 		return;
 
+	evsel = hists_to_evsel(he->hists);
+
 	symbol = he->ms.sym;
 	notes = symbol__annotation(symbol);