diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index 74878cd75078055e437396fc9a6b201603586076..fc1cffb1b7a28c9b0d9856770530a0e8b3bf9606 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -1061,8 +1061,10 @@ static int read_events(struct perf_kvm_stat *kvm)
 
 	symbol__init(&kvm->session->header.env);
 
-	if (!perf_session__has_traces(kvm->session, "kvm record"))
-		return -EINVAL;
+	if (!perf_session__has_traces(kvm->session, "kvm record")) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto out_delete;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Do not use 'isa' recorded in kvm_exit tracepoint since it is not
@@ -1070,9 +1072,13 @@ static int read_events(struct perf_kvm_stat *kvm)
 	 */
 	ret = cpu_isa_config(kvm);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
+		goto out_delete;
 
-	return perf_session__process_events(kvm->session);
+	ret = perf_session__process_events(kvm->session);
+
+out_delete:
+	perf_session__delete(kvm->session);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int parse_target_str(struct perf_kvm_stat *kvm)