diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt
index cb23667531ab0a74a33332d9ca9e6e69595e791a..376a50b3452d0cc19d5e00da86572c0abe776494 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ raw encoding of 0x1A8 can be used:
  perf stat -e r1a8 -a sleep 1
  perf record -e r1a8 ...
 
+It's also possible to use pmu syntax:
+
+ perf record -e r1a8 -a sleep 1
+ perf record -e cpu/r1a8/ ...
+
 You should refer to the processor specific documentation for getting these
 details. Some of them are referenced in the SEE ALSO section below.
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
index 091c3aeccc2798a1c32f08069ccd06b32d4154bb..902bd9d591a066c27bc5340c357e25a840b7fade 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
@@ -1356,6 +1356,16 @@ static int test__checkevent_complex_name(struct evlist *evlist)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int test__checkevent_raw_pmu(struct evlist *evlist)
+{
+	struct evsel *evsel = evlist__first(evlist);
+
+	TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong number of entries", 1 == evlist->core.nr_entries);
+	TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong type", PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE == evsel->core.attr.type);
+	TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong config", 0x1a == evsel->core.attr.config);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int test__sym_event_slash(struct evlist *evlist)
 {
 	struct evsel *evsel = evlist__first(evlist);
@@ -1750,7 +1760,12 @@ static struct evlist_test test__events_pmu[] = {
 		.name  = "cpu/name='COMPLEX_CYCLES_NAME:orig=cycles,desc=chip-clock-ticks',period=0x1,event=0x2/ukp",
 		.check = test__checkevent_complex_name,
 		.id    = 3,
-	}
+	},
+	{
+		.name  = "software/r1a/",
+		.check = test__checkevent_raw_pmu,
+		.id    = 4,
+	},
 };
 
 struct terms_test {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
index baa48f28d57d56c7dd8f8374583440842b61c65f..c589fc42f0586a214a80f5ba6abc86c02cf5b4b9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ no-overwrite		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE); }
 percore			{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_PERCORE); }
 aux-output		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_AUX_OUTPUT); }
 aux-sample-size		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE); }
+r{num_raw_hex}		{ return raw(yyscanner); }
 ,			{ return ','; }
 "/"			{ BEGIN(INITIAL); return '/'; }
 {name_minus}		{ return str(yyscanner, PE_NAME); }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
index 94f8bcd835826de88b83c8df50141bafdffce7f2..e879eb257874b190b667fce4112eccb8d5deef0f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
@@ -706,6 +706,15 @@ event_term
 }
 
 event_term:
+PE_RAW
+{
+	struct parse_events_term *term;
+
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events_term__num(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG,
+					NULL, $1, false, &@1, NULL));
+	$$ = term;
+}
+|
 PE_NAME '=' PE_NAME
 {
 	struct parse_events_term *term;