diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
index 475d88d0a1c9a772323b3218cfcf5f5900c0e809..53f19968bfa2367400e3484c54b67fab1c5ba5b5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
@@ -1042,6 +1042,8 @@ int dso__load_sym(struct dso *dso, struct map *map,
 				}
 				curr_dso->symtab_type = dso->symtab_type;
 				map_groups__insert(kmaps, curr_map);
+				/* kmaps already got it */
+				map__put(curr_map);
 				dsos__add(&map->groups->machine->dsos, curr_dso);
 				dso__set_loaded(curr_dso, map->type);
 			} else