diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 4b2cd2d33106eabdaaf24c4826e578b93fd70304..781f6cf1cda61f9fda716ab2797a0d89af7544c0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ 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;
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ 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;
 
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ 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;
@@ -233,6 +235,8 @@ 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);