diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.c b/tools/perf/util/session.c
index 354e1e04a2662..81b7ec2ae8615 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.c
@@ -299,8 +299,11 @@ void perf_session__delete(struct perf_session *session)
 	perf_session__release_decomp_events(session);
 	perf_env__exit(&session->header.env);
 	machines__exit(&session->machines);
-	if (session->data)
+	if (session->data) {
+		if (perf_data__is_read(session->data))
+			evlist__delete(session->evlist);
 		perf_data__close(session->data);
+	}
 	free(session);
 }