diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
index 1077013d8ce2..26bc6a0096ce 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
@@ -1622,7 +1622,12 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *dso, struct map *map)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	if (dso->kernel) {
+	kmod = dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__SYSTEM_PATH_KMODULE ||
+		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__SYSTEM_PATH_KMODULE_COMP ||
+		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__GUEST_KMODULE ||
+		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__GUEST_KMODULE_COMP;
+
+	if (dso->kernel && !kmod) {
 		if (dso->kernel == DSO_TYPE_KERNEL)
 			ret = dso__load_kernel_sym(dso, map);
 		else if (dso->kernel == DSO_TYPE_GUEST_KERNEL)
@@ -1650,12 +1655,6 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *dso, struct map *map)
 	if (!name)
 		goto out;
 
-	kmod = dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__SYSTEM_PATH_KMODULE ||
-		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__SYSTEM_PATH_KMODULE_COMP ||
-		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__GUEST_KMODULE ||
-		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__GUEST_KMODULE_COMP;
-
-
 	/*
 	 * Read the build id if possible. This is required for
 	 * DSO_BINARY_TYPE__BUILDID_DEBUGINFO to work