diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 4b995ee099cf..568b1950e632 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -1473,6 +1473,8 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 		pos->attr.sample_period = default_interval;
 	}
 
+	sym_evsel = list_entry(evsel_list.next, struct perf_evsel, node);
+
 	symbol_conf.priv_size = (sizeof(struct sym_entry) +
 				 (nr_counters + 1) * sizeof(unsigned long));