diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
index 7865f68dc0d82bea12c960c61792e9fd28857305..b2a2c74136a58fab17d716593defa555aae0e83d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
@@ -1783,8 +1783,8 @@ static int test_pmu_events(void)
 		struct evlist_test e;
 		char name[MAX_NAME];
 
-		if (!strcmp(ent->d_name, ".") ||
-		    !strcmp(ent->d_name, ".."))
+		/* Names containing . are special and cannot be used directly */
+		if (strchr(ent->d_name, '.'))
 			continue;
 
 		snprintf(name, MAX_NAME, "cpu/event=%s/u", ent->d_name);