diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 1a9098c697b4..d19058a7b84c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -256,6 +256,10 @@ static void perf_record__open(struct perf_record *rec)
 						    "trying to fall back to cpu-clock-ticks\n");
 				attr->type = PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE;
 				attr->config = PERF_COUNT_SW_CPU_CLOCK;
+				if (pos->name) {
+					free(pos->name);
+					pos->name = NULL;
+				}
 				goto try_again;
 			}