diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/hybrid.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/hybrid.c
index e221ea104174..dfb0ffc0d030 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/hybrid.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/hybrid.c
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ static int test_event(const struct evlist_test *e)
 		ret = e->check(evlist);
 	}
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/topdown.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/topdown.c
index 221f2c4bbb61..2b6f47ce4932 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/topdown.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/topdown.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static int event_cb(void *state, struct pmu_event_info *info)
 			*ret = TEST_FAIL;
 		}
 	}
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static int test_sort(const char *str, int expected_slots_group_size,
 	CHECK_COND(slots_seen, "slots seen");
 	ret = TEST_OK;
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/iostat.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/iostat.c
index 7442a2cd87ed..e0417552b0cb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/iostat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/iostat.c
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ int iostat_prepare(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_stat_config *config)
 	if (evlist->core.nr_entries > 0) {
 		pr_warning("The -e and -M options are not supported."
 			   "All chosen events/metrics will be dropped\n");
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		evlist = evlist__new();
 		if (!evlist)
 			return -ENOMEM;
diff --git a/tools/perf/bench/evlist-open-close.c b/tools/perf/bench/evlist-open-close.c
index faf9c34b4a5d..304929d1f67f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/bench/evlist-open-close.c
+++ b/tools/perf/bench/evlist-open-close.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ static struct evlist *bench__create_evlist(char *evstr, const char *uid_str)
 		parse_events_error__exit(&err);
 		pr_err("Run 'perf list' for a list of valid events\n");
 		ret = 1;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
 	if (uid_str) {
@@ -85,24 +85,24 @@ static struct evlist *bench__create_evlist(char *evstr, const char *uid_str)
 		if (uid == UINT_MAX) {
 			pr_err("Invalid User: %s", uid_str);
 			ret = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 		ret = parse_uid_filter(evlist, uid);
 		if (ret)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 	ret = evlist__create_maps(evlist, &opts.target);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		pr_err("Not enough memory to create thread/cpu maps\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__config(evlist, &opts, NULL);
 
 	return evlist;
 
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static int bench_evlist_open_close__run(char *evstr, const char *uid_str)
 		evlist->core.nr_entries, evlist__count_evsel_fds(evlist));
 	printf("  Number of iterations:\t%d\n", iterations);
 
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
 		pr_debug("Started iteration %d\n", i);
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ static int bench_evlist_open_close__run(char *evstr, const char *uid_str)
 		gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
 		err = bench__do_evlist_open_close(evlist);
 		if (err) {
-			evlist__delete(evlist);
+			evlist__put(evlist);
 			return err;
 		}
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ static int bench_evlist_open_close__run(char *evstr, const char *uid_str)
 		runtime_us = timeval2usec(&diff);
 		update_stats(&time_stats, runtime_us);
 
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		pr_debug("Iteration %d took:\t%" PRIu64 "us\n", i, runtime_us);
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-ftrace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-ftrace.c
index 8a7dbfb14535..676239148b87 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-ftrace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-ftrace.c
@@ -1999,20 +1999,20 @@ int cmd_ftrace(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	ret = evlist__create_maps(ftrace.evlist, &ftrace.target);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	if (argc) {
 		ret = evlist__prepare_workload(ftrace.evlist, &ftrace.target,
 					       argv, false,
 					       ftrace__workload_exec_failed_signal);
 		if (ret < 0)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	ret = cmd_func(&ftrace);
 
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(ftrace.evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(ftrace.evlist);
 
 out_delete_filters:
 	delete_filter_func(&ftrace.filters);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index 394302ebdb16..993dabff2a72 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -1810,7 +1810,7 @@ static struct evlist *kvm_live_event_list(void)
 
 out:
 	if (err) {
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		evlist = NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -1941,7 +1941,7 @@ static int kvm_events_live(struct perf_kvm_stat *kvm,
 out:
 	perf_session__delete(kvm->session);
 	kvm->session = NULL;
-	evlist__delete(kvm->evlist);
+	evlist__put(kvm->evlist);
 
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c b/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
index 5841d43be971..d925543a68c0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
@@ -2149,7 +2149,7 @@ static int __cmd_contention(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 out_delete:
 	lock_filter_finish();
-	evlist__delete(con.evlist);
+	evlist__put(con.evlist);
 	lock_contention_finish(&con);
 	perf_session__delete(session);
 	perf_env__exit(&host_env);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index e91539055675..e4fa77a40dac 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -4291,7 +4291,7 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 			goto out;
 
 		evlist__splice_list_tail(rec->evlist, &def_evlist->core.entries);
-		evlist__delete(def_evlist);
+		evlist__put(def_evlist);
 	}
 
 	if (rec->opts.target.tid && !rec->opts.no_inherit_set)
@@ -4401,7 +4401,7 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 	auxtrace_record__free(rec->itr);
 out_opts:
 	evlist__close_control(rec->opts.ctl_fd, rec->opts.ctl_fd_ack, &rec->opts.ctl_fd_close);
-	evlist__delete(rec->evlist);
+	evlist__put(rec->evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
index 7fd63a9db457..54ce9933ef09 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
@@ -3924,7 +3924,7 @@ static int perf_sched__schedstat_record(struct perf_sched *sched,
 	session = perf_session__new(&data, &sched->tool);
 	if (IS_ERR(session)) {
 		pr_err("Perf session creation failed.\n");
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return PTR_ERR(session);
 	}
 
@@ -4023,7 +4023,7 @@ static int perf_sched__schedstat_record(struct perf_sched *sched,
 	else
 		fprintf(stderr, "[ perf sched stats: Failed !! ]\n");
 
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	close(fd);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -4927,7 +4927,7 @@ static int perf_sched__schedstat_live(struct perf_sched *sched,
 	free_cpu_domain_info(cd_map, sv, nr);
 out:
 	free_schedstat(&cpu_head);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
index 9ac29bdc3cd5..0df13927001b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
@@ -2274,7 +2274,7 @@ static int script_find_metrics(const struct pmu_metric *pm,
 	}
 	pr_debug("Found metric '%s' whose evsels match those of in the perf data\n",
 		 pm->metric_name);
-	evlist__delete(metric_evlist);
+	evlist__put(metric_evlist);
 out:
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index a04466ea3b0a..bf621202da69 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -2119,7 +2119,7 @@ static int add_default_events(void)
 							stat_config.user_requested_cpu_list,
 							stat_config.system_wide,
 							stat_config.hardware_aware_grouping) < 0) {
-				evlist__delete(metric_evlist);
+				evlist__put(metric_evlist);
 				ret = -1;
 				break;
 			}
@@ -2131,7 +2131,7 @@ static int add_default_events(void)
 			metricgroup__copy_metric_events(evlist, /*cgrp=*/NULL,
 							&evlist->metric_events,
 							&metric_evlist->metric_events);
-			evlist__delete(metric_evlist);
+			evlist__put(metric_evlist);
 		}
 		list_sort(/*priv=*/NULL, &evlist->core.entries, default_evlist_evsel_cmp);
 
@@ -2152,7 +2152,7 @@ static int add_default_events(void)
 	metricgroup__copy_metric_events(evsel_list, /*cgrp=*/NULL,
 					&evsel_list->metric_events,
 					&evlist->metric_events);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -2387,7 +2387,7 @@ static int __cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	perf_stat.session  = session;
 	stat_config.output = stderr;
-	evlist__delete(evsel_list);
+	evlist__put(evsel_list);
 	evsel_list         = session->evlist;
 
 	ret = perf_session__process_events(session);
@@ -3066,7 +3066,7 @@ int cmd_stat(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (smi_cost && smi_reset)
 		sysfs__write_int(FREEZE_ON_SMI_PATH, 0);
 
-	evlist__delete(evsel_list);
+	evlist__put(evsel_list);
 
 	evlist__close_control(stat_config.ctl_fd, stat_config.ctl_fd_ack, &stat_config.ctl_fd_close);
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 1211401616ee..ff24ae35c67f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -1652,14 +1652,14 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 	perf_env__init(&host_env);
 	status = perf_config(perf_top_config, &top);
 	if (status)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	/*
 	 * Since the per arch annotation init routine may need the cpuid, read
 	 * it here, since we are not getting this from the perf.data header.
 	 */
 	status = perf_env__set_cmdline(&host_env, argc, argv);
 	if (status)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	status = perf_env__read_cpuid(&host_env);
 	if (status) {
@@ -1680,30 +1680,30 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 		annotate_opts.disassembler_style = strdup(disassembler_style);
 		if (!annotate_opts.disassembler_style) {
 			status = -ENOMEM;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 	if (objdump_path) {
 		annotate_opts.objdump_path = strdup(objdump_path);
 		if (!annotate_opts.objdump_path) {
 			status = -ENOMEM;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 	if (addr2line_path) {
 		symbol_conf.addr2line_path = strdup(addr2line_path);
 		if (!symbol_conf.addr2line_path) {
 			status = -ENOMEM;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 
 	status = symbol__validate_sym_arguments();
 	if (status)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	if (annotate_check_args() < 0)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	status = target__validate(target);
 	if (status) {
@@ -1718,15 +1718,15 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 		struct evlist *def_evlist = evlist__new_default(target, callchain_param.enabled);
 
 		if (!def_evlist)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 
 		evlist__splice_list_tail(top.evlist, &def_evlist->core.entries);
-		evlist__delete(def_evlist);
+		evlist__put(def_evlist);
 	}
 
 	status = evswitch__init(&top.evswitch, top.evlist, stderr);
 	if (status)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	if (symbol_conf.report_hierarchy) {
 		/* disable incompatible options */
@@ -1737,18 +1737,18 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 			pr_err("Error: --hierarchy and --fields options cannot be used together\n");
 			parse_options_usage(top_usage, options, "fields", 0);
 			parse_options_usage(NULL, options, "hierarchy", 0);
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 
 	if (top.stitch_lbr && !(callchain_param.record_mode == CALLCHAIN_LBR)) {
 		pr_err("Error: --stitch-lbr must be used with --call-graph lbr\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (nr_cgroups > 0 && opts->record_cgroup) {
 		pr_err("--cgroup and --all-cgroups cannot be used together\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (branch_call_mode) {
@@ -1772,7 +1772,7 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 		status = perf_env__read_core_pmu_caps(&host_env);
 		if (status) {
 			pr_err("PMU capability data is not available\n");
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1795,7 +1795,7 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (IS_ERR(top.session)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(top.session);
 		top.session = NULL;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 	top.evlist->session = top.session;
 
@@ -1805,7 +1805,7 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 		if (field_order)
 			parse_options_usage(sort_order ? NULL : top_usage,
 					    options, "fields", 0);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (top.uid_str) {
@@ -1814,18 +1814,18 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 		if (uid == UINT_MAX) {
 			ui__error("Invalid User: %s", top.uid_str);
 			status = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 		status = parse_uid_filter(top.evlist, uid);
 		if (status)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (evlist__create_maps(top.evlist, target) < 0) {
 		ui__error("Couldn't create thread/CPU maps: %s\n",
 			  errno == ENOENT ? "No such process" : str_error_r(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
 		status = -errno;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (top.delay_secs < 1)
@@ -1833,7 +1833,7 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	if (record_opts__config(opts)) {
 		status = -EINVAL;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	top.sym_evsel = evlist__first(top.evlist);
@@ -1848,14 +1848,14 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	status = symbol__annotation_init();
 	if (status < 0)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	annotation_config__init();
 
 	symbol_conf.try_vmlinux_path = (symbol_conf.vmlinux_name == NULL);
 	status = symbol__init(NULL);
 	if (status < 0)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	sort__setup_elide(stdout);
 
@@ -1875,13 +1875,13 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 		if (top.sb_evlist == NULL) {
 			pr_err("Couldn't create side band evlist.\n.");
 			status = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		if (evlist__add_bpf_sb_event(top.sb_evlist, &host_env)) {
 			pr_err("Couldn't ask for PERF_RECORD_BPF_EVENT side band events.\n.");
 			status = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 #endif
@@ -1896,8 +1896,8 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (!opts->no_bpf_event)
 		evlist__stop_sb_thread(top.sb_evlist);
 
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(top.evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(top.evlist);
 	perf_session__delete(top.session);
 	annotation_options__exit();
 	perf_env__exit(&host_env);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index ba0f8749fc7d..37de15646715 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -4439,7 +4439,7 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	if (trace->summary_bpf) {
 		if (trace_prepare_bpf_summary(trace->summary_mode) < 0)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 
 		if (trace->summary_only)
 			goto create_maps;
@@ -4507,19 +4507,19 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 	err = evlist__create_maps(evlist, &trace->opts.target);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		fprintf(trace->output, "Problems parsing the target to trace, check your options!\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	err = trace__symbols_init(trace, argc, argv, evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		fprintf(trace->output, "Problems initializing symbol libraries!\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (trace->summary_mode == SUMMARY__BY_TOTAL && !trace->summary_bpf) {
 		trace->syscall_stats = alloc_syscall_stats();
 		if (!trace->syscall_stats)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__config(evlist, &trace->opts, &callchain_param);
@@ -4528,7 +4528,7 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 		err = evlist__prepare_workload(evlist, &trace->opts.target, argv, false, NULL);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			fprintf(trace->output, "Couldn't run the workload!\n");
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 		workload_pid = evlist->workload.pid;
 	}
@@ -4576,7 +4576,7 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	err = trace__expand_filters(trace, &evsel);
 	if (err)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	err = evlist__apply_filters(evlist, &evsel, &trace->opts.target);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto out_error_apply_filters;
@@ -4693,12 +4693,12 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
-out_delete_evlist:
+out_put_evlist:
 	trace_cleanup_bpf_summary();
 	delete_syscall_stats(trace->syscall_stats);
 	trace__symbols__exit(trace);
 	evlist__free_syscall_tp_fields(evlist);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	cgroup__put(trace->cgroup);
 	trace->evlist = NULL;
 	trace->live = false;
@@ -4723,21 +4723,21 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 out_error:
 	fprintf(trace->output, "%s\n", errbuf);
-	goto out_delete_evlist;
+	goto out_put_evlist;
 
 out_error_apply_filters:
 	fprintf(trace->output,
 		"Failed to set filter \"%s\" on event %s: %m\n",
 		evsel->filter, evsel__name(evsel));
-	goto out_delete_evlist;
+	goto out_put_evlist;
 }
 out_error_mem:
 	fprintf(trace->output, "Not enough memory to run!\n");
-	goto out_delete_evlist;
+	goto out_put_evlist;
 
 out_errno:
 	fprintf(trace->output, "%m\n");
-	goto out_delete_evlist;
+	goto out_put_evlist;
 }
 
 static int trace__replay(struct trace *trace)
@@ -5417,7 +5417,7 @@ static void trace__exit(struct trace *trace)
 		zfree(&trace->syscalls.table);
 	}
 	zfree(&trace->perfconfig_events);
-	evlist__delete(trace->evlist);
+	evlist__put(trace->evlist);
 	trace->evlist = NULL;
 	ordered_events__free(&trace->oe.data);
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBBPF_SUPPORT
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c b/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
index c5e7999f2817..2b49b002d749 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static int test__backward_ring_buffer(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, in
 	err = evlist__create_maps(evlist, &opts.target);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create thread/cpu maps\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	parse_events_error__init(&parse_error);
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ static int test__backward_ring_buffer(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, in
 	if (err) {
 		pr_debug("Failed to parse tracepoint event, try use root\n");
 		ret = TEST_SKIP;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__config(evlist, &opts, NULL);
@@ -133,19 +133,19 @@ static int test__backward_ring_buffer(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, in
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	ret = TEST_FAIL;
 	err = do_test(evlist, opts.mmap_pages, &sample_count,
 		      &comm_count);
 	if (err != TEST_OK)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	if ((sample_count != NR_ITERS) || (comm_count != NR_ITERS)) {
 		pr_err("Unexpected counter: sample_count=%d, comm_count=%d\n",
 		       sample_count, comm_count);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__close(evlist);
@@ -154,16 +154,16 @@ static int test__backward_ring_buffer(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, in
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	err = do_test(evlist, 1, &sample_count, &comm_count);
 	if (err != TEST_OK)
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	ret = TEST_OK;
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c b/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
index e82ecdc95777..3c88b7e8387a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ static int do_test_code_reading(bool try_kcore)
 			}
 
 			perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, NULL, NULL);
-			evlist__delete(evlist);
+			evlist__put(evlist);
 			evlist = NULL;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ static int do_test_code_reading(bool try_kcore)
 out_put:
 	thread__put(thread);
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
 	machine__delete(machine);
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c b/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c
index ae3b98bb42cf..94ab54ecd3f9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static int test_times(int (attach)(struct evlist *),
 	err = attach(evlist);
 	if (err == TEST_SKIP) {
 		pr_debug("  SKIP  : not enough rights\n");
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return err;
 	}
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ static int test_times(int (attach)(struct evlist *),
 		 count.ena, count.run);
 
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return !err ? TEST_OK : TEST_FAIL;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/event_update.c b/tools/perf/tests/event_update.c
index facc65e29f20..73141b122d2f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/event_update.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/event_update.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ static int test__event_update(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtes
 	TEST_ASSERT_VAL("failed to synthesize attr update cpus",
 			!perf_event__synthesize_event_update_cpus(&tmp.tool, evsel, process_event_cpus));
 
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/evsel-roundtrip-name.c b/tools/perf/tests/evsel-roundtrip-name.c
index 1922cac13a24..6a220634c52f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/evsel-roundtrip-name.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/evsel-roundtrip-name.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static int perf_evsel__roundtrip_cache_name_test(void)
 				if (err) {
 					pr_debug("Failure to parse cache event '%s' possibly as PMUs don't support it",
 						name);
-					evlist__delete(evlist);
+					evlist__put(evlist);
 					continue;
 				}
 				evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, evsel) {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ static int perf_evsel__roundtrip_cache_name_test(void)
 						ret = TEST_FAIL;
 					}
 				}
-				evlist__delete(evlist);
+				evlist__put(evlist);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static int perf_evsel__name_array_test(const char *const names[], int nr_names)
 		if (err) {
 			pr_debug("failed to parse event '%s', err %d\n",
 				 names[i], err);
-			evlist__delete(evlist);
+			evlist__put(evlist);
 			ret = TEST_FAIL;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ static int perf_evsel__name_array_test(const char *const names[], int nr_names)
 				ret = TEST_FAIL;
 			}
 		}
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 	}
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/expand-cgroup.c b/tools/perf/tests/expand-cgroup.c
index dd547f2f77cc..a7a445f12693 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/expand-cgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/expand-cgroup.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ static int expand_default_events(void)
 	TEST_ASSERT_VAL("failed to get evlist", evlist);
 
 	ret = test_expand_events(evlist);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static int expand_group_events(void)
 	ret = test_expand_events(evlist);
 out:
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ static int expand_libpfm_events(void)
 
 	ret = test_expand_events(evlist);
 out:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ static int expand_metric_events(void)
 	ret = test_expand_events(evlist);
 
 out:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/hists_cumulate.c b/tools/perf/tests/hists_cumulate.c
index 09ee08085b06..9356451a172e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/hists_cumulate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/hists_cumulate.c
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ static int test__hists_cumulate(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subt
 
 out:
 	/* tear down everything */
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	machines__exit(&machines);
 	put_fake_samples();
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/hists_filter.c b/tools/perf/tests/hists_filter.c
index ac5affb7afff..f9eaa511487b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/hists_filter.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/hists_filter.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ static int test__hists_filter(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtes
 
 out:
 	/* tear down everything */
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	reset_output_field();
 	machines__exit(&machines);
 	put_fake_samples();
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/hists_link.c b/tools/perf/tests/hists_link.c
index e55990163865..d88591bcbe50 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/hists_link.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/hists_link.c
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ static int test__hists_link(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 
 out:
 	/* tear down everything */
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	reset_output_field();
 	machines__exit(&machines);
 	put_fake_samples();
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/hists_output.c b/tools/perf/tests/hists_output.c
index 5e59dba92e81..f58c8d18fe33 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/hists_output.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/hists_output.c
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ static int test__hists_output(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtes
 
 out:
 	/* tear down everything */
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	machines__exit(&machines);
 	put_fake_samples();
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/hwmon_pmu.c b/tools/perf/tests/hwmon_pmu.c
index 62e0841a6c31..9e89051e7fdc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/hwmon_pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/hwmon_pmu.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ static int do_test(size_t i, bool with_pmu, bool with_alias)
 
 out:
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/keep-tracking.c b/tools/perf/tests/keep-tracking.c
index 729cc9cc1cb7..51cfd6522867 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/keep-tracking.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/keep-tracking.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static int test__keep_tracking(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subte
 out_err:
 	if (evlist) {
 		evlist__disable(evlist);
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 	}
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c b/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c
index a69cd1046e9a..5ff58eb2af8d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 				/* Permissions failure, flag the failure as a skip. */
 				err = TEST_SKIP;
 			}
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		evsels[i]->core.attr.wakeup_events = 1;
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 			pr_debug("failed to open counter: %s, "
 				 "tweak /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid?\n",
 				 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		nr_events[i] = 0;
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 	if (evlist__mmap(evlist, 128) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap events: %d (%s)\n", errno,
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nsyscalls; ++i)
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		if (event->header.type != PERF_RECORD_SAMPLE) {
 			pr_debug("unexpected %s event\n",
 				 perf_event__name(event->header.type));
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		perf_sample__init(&sample, /*all=*/false);
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		if (err) {
 			pr_err("Can't parse sample, err = %d\n", err);
 			perf_sample__exit(&sample);
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		err = -1;
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		if (evsel == NULL) {
 			pr_debug("event with id %" PRIu64
 				 " doesn't map to an evsel\n", sample.id);
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 		nr_events[evsel->core.idx]++;
 		perf_mmap__consume(&md->core);
@@ -168,12 +168,12 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 				 expected_nr_events[evsel->core.idx],
 				 evsel__name(evsel), nr_events[evsel->core.idx]);
 			err = -1;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 out_free_cpus:
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 out_free_threads:
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c
index 9ff8caff98c3..b30f286fb421 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static int test__syscall_openat_tp_fields(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused
 	if (IS_ERR(evsel)) {
 		pr_debug("%s: evsel__newtp\n", __func__);
 		ret = PTR_ERR(evsel) == -EACCES ? TEST_SKIP : TEST_FAIL;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__add(evlist, evsel);
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static int test__syscall_openat_tp_fields(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused
 	err = evlist__create_maps(evlist, &opts.target);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("%s: evlist__create_maps\n", __func__);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evsel__config(evsel, &opts, NULL);
@@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ static int test__syscall_openat_tp_fields(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	err = evlist__mmap(evlist, UINT_MAX);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("evlist__mmap: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__enable(evlist);
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ static int test__syscall_openat_tp_fields(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused
 				if (err) {
 					pr_debug("Can't parse sample, err = %d\n", err);
 					perf_sample__exit(&sample);
-					goto out_delete_evlist;
+					goto out_put_evlist;
 				}
 
 				tp_flags = perf_sample__intval(&sample, "flags");
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static int test__syscall_openat_tp_fields(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused
 				    (tp_flags & flags) != flags) {
 					pr_debug("%s: Expected flags=%#x, got %#x\n",
 						 __func__, flags, tp_flags);
-					goto out_delete_evlist;
+					goto out_put_evlist;
 				}
 
 				goto out_ok;
@@ -139,13 +139,13 @@ static int test__syscall_openat_tp_fields(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused
 
 		if (++nr_polls > 5) {
 			pr_debug("%s: no events!\n", __func__);
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 	}
 out_ok:
 	ret = TEST_OK;
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 out:
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
index 05c3e899b425..19dc7b7475d2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
@@ -2568,7 +2568,7 @@ static int test_event(const struct evlist_test *e)
 		ret = e->check(evlist);
 	}
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -2594,7 +2594,7 @@ static int test_event_fake_pmu(const char *str)
 	}
 
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-metric.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-metric.c
index 7c7f489a5eb0..3f0ec839c056 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-metric.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-metric.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static int __compute_metric(const char *name, struct value *vals,
 
 	cpus = perf_cpu_map__new("0");
 	if (!cpus) {
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static int __compute_metric(const char *name, struct value *vals,
 	/* ... cleanup. */
 	evlist__free_stats(evlist);
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-no-sample-id-all.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-no-sample-id-all.c
index 8ac862c94879..78bb8db19240 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-no-sample-id-all.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-no-sample-id-all.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static int process_events(union perf_event **events, size_t count)
 	for (i = 0; i < count && !err; i++)
 		err = process_event(&evlist, events[i]);
 
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
index ad44cc68820b..f95752b2ed1c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 	err = evlist__create_maps(evlist, &opts.target);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create thread/cpu maps\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 	err = evlist__prepare_workload(evlist, &opts.target, argv, false, NULL);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("Couldn't run the workload!\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		pr_debug("sched__get_first_possible_cpu: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		evlist__cancel_workload(evlist);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	cpu = err;
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		pr_debug("sched_setaffinity: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		evlist__cancel_workload(evlist);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		evlist__cancel_workload(evlist);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		pr_debug("evlist__mmap: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		evlist__cancel_workload(evlist);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 					if (verbose > 0)
 						perf_event__fprintf(event, NULL, stderr);
 					pr_debug("Couldn't parse sample\n");
-					goto out_delete_evlist;
+					goto out_put_evlist;
 				}
 
 				if (verbose > 0) {
@@ -350,9 +350,9 @@ static int test__PERF_RECORD(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 		pr_debug("PERF_RECORD_MMAP for %s missing!\n", "[vdso]");
 		++errs;
 	}
-out_delete_evlist:
+out_put_evlist:
 	CPU_FREE(cpu_mask);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 out:
 	perf_sample__exit(&sample);
 	if (err == -EACCES)
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/perf-time-to-tsc.c b/tools/perf/tests/perf-time-to-tsc.c
index cca41bd37ae3..d3538fa20af3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/perf-time-to-tsc.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/perf-time-to-tsc.c
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ static int test__perf_time_to_tsc(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int su
 	err = TEST_OK;
 
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
 	return err;
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/pfm.c b/tools/perf/tests/pfm.c
index fca4a86452df..8d19b1bfecbc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/pfm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/pfm.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static int test__pfm_events(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused,
 				evlist__nr_groups(evlist),
 				0);
 
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ static int test__pfm_group(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused,
 				evlist__nr_groups(evlist),
 				table[i].nr_groups);
 
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c
index fd5630f0a13c..4ea6d392085b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ static int check_parse_id(const char *id, struct parse_events_error *error)
 			     /*warn_if_reordered=*/true, /*fake_tp=*/false);
 	free(dup);
 
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ static int test__parsing_callback(const struct pmu_metric *pm,
 
 	cpus = perf_cpu_map__new("0");
 	if (!cpus) {
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ static int test__parsing_callback(const struct pmu_metric *pm,
 	/* ... cleanup. */
 	evlist__free_stats(evlist);
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/pmu.c b/tools/perf/tests/pmu.c
index d7be9d1c6f52..13e8d7fa80af 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/pmu.c
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ static int test__pmu_config_helpers(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused,
 	ret = TEST_OK;
 err_out:
 	parse_events_terms__exit(&terms);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	test_pmu_put(dir, pmu);
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ static int test__pmu_events(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest
 	ret = TEST_OK;
 err_out:
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	test_pmu_put(dir, pmu);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c b/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
index b6e46975379c..bb6b62cf51d1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 	evsel = evsel__new(&attr);
 	if (evsel == NULL) {
 		pr_debug("evsel__new\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 	evlist__add(evlist, evsel);
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 	if (!cpus || !threads) {
 		err = -ENOMEM;
 		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create thread/cpu maps\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, cpus, threads);
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 		pr_debug("Couldn't open evlist: %s\nHint: check %s, using %" PRIu64 " in this test.\n",
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)),
 			 knob, (u64)attr.sample_freq);
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	err = evlist__mmap(evlist, 128);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap event: %d (%s)\n", errno,
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__enable(evlist);
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 		if (err < 0) {
 			pr_debug("Error during parse sample\n");
 			perf_sample__exit(&sample);
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		total_periods += sample.period;
@@ -131,10 +131,10 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 		err = -1;
 	}
 
-out_delete_evlist:
+out_put_evlist:
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c b/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c
index e32331fee277..abd08d60179c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ static int test__switch_tracking(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int sub
 out:
 	if (evlist) {
 		evlist__disable(evlist);
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 	}
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
index 4053ff2813bb..a46650b10689 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static int test__task_exit(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest _
 	if (!cpus || !threads) {
 		err = -ENOMEM;
 		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create thread/cpu maps\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, cpus, threads);
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static int test__task_exit(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest _
 	err = evlist__prepare_workload(evlist, &target, argv, false, workload_exec_failed_signal);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("Couldn't run the workload!\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evsel = evlist__first(evlist);
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ static int test__task_exit(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest _
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("Couldn't open the evlist: %s\n",
 			 str_error_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (evlist__mmap(evlist, 128) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap events: %d (%s)\n", errno,
 			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		err = -1;
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist__start_workload(evlist);
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static int test__task_exit(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest _
 		if (retry_count++ > 1000) {
 			pr_debug("Failed after retrying 1000 times\n");
 			err = -1;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		goto retry;
@@ -144,10 +144,10 @@ static int test__task_exit(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused, int subtest _
 		err = -1;
 	}
 
-out_delete_evlist:
+out_put_evlist:
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
 	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/tool_pmu.c b/tools/perf/tests/tool_pmu.c
index 1e900ef92e37..e78ff9dcea97 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/tool_pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/tool_pmu.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ static int do_test(enum tool_pmu_event ev, bool with_pmu)
 
 out:
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/topology.c b/tools/perf/tests/topology.c
index bd7b859dea66..15741abec8c6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/topology.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/topology.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static int session_write_header(char *path)
 			!perf_session__write_header(session, session->evlist,
 						    perf_data__fd(&data), true));
 
-	evlist__delete(session->evlist);
+	evlist__put(session->evlist);
 	perf_session__delete(session);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/uncore-event-sorting.c b/tools/perf/tests/uncore-event-sorting.c
index 7d2fc304e21f..2e741aef4a59 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/uncore-event-sorting.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/uncore-event-sorting.c
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ static int test__uncore_event_sorting(struct test_suite *test __maybe_unused,
 	ret = TEST_OK;
 
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
 	zfree(&pmu_prefix);
 	zfree(&m.event1);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cgroup.c b/tools/perf/util/cgroup.c
index 1b5664d1481f..652a45aac828 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cgroup.c
@@ -520,8 +520,8 @@ int evlist__expand_cgroup(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str, bool open_cgro
 	cgrp_event_expanded = true;
 
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(orig_list);
-	evlist__delete(tmp_list);
+	evlist__put(orig_list);
+	evlist__put(tmp_list);
 	metricgroup__rblist_exit(&orig_metric_events);
 	release_cgroup_list();
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c b/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c
index 5ff46bfcd0e1..e222371394c0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c
@@ -1362,7 +1362,7 @@ static void cleanup_events(struct perf_session *session)
 		zfree(&evsel->priv);
 	}
 
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	session->evlist = NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index ab6bf5e935f4..82cc33259d81 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ int sigqueue(pid_t pid, int sig, const union sigval value);
 #define FD(e, x, y) (*(int *)xyarray__entry(e->core.fd, x, y))
 #define SID(e, x, y) xyarray__entry(e->core.sample_id, x, y)
 
-void evlist__init(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
+static void evlist__init(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
 		  struct perf_thread_map *threads)
 {
 	perf_evlist__init(&evlist->core);
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ void evlist__init(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
 	evlist->nr_br_cntr = -1;
 	metricgroup__rblist_init(&evlist->metric_events);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&evlist->deferred_samples);
+	refcount_set(&evlist->refcnt, 1);
 }
 
 struct evlist *evlist__new(void)
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ struct evlist *evlist__new_default(const struct target *target, bool sample_call
 
 	return evlist;
 out_err:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -148,13 +149,19 @@ struct evlist *evlist__new_dummy(void)
 	struct evlist *evlist = evlist__new();
 
 	if (evlist && evlist__add_dummy(evlist)) {
-		evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		evlist = NULL;
 	}
 
 	return evlist;
 }
 
+struct evlist *evlist__get(struct evlist *evlist)
+{
+	refcount_inc(&evlist->refcnt);
+	return evlist;
+}
+
 /**
  * evlist__set_id_pos - set the positions of event ids.
  * @evlist: selected event list
@@ -193,7 +200,7 @@ static void evlist__purge(struct evlist *evlist)
 	evlist->core.nr_entries = 0;
 }
 
-void evlist__exit(struct evlist *evlist)
+static void evlist__exit(struct evlist *evlist)
 {
 	metricgroup__rblist_exit(&evlist->metric_events);
 	event_enable_timer__exit(&evlist->eet);
@@ -202,11 +209,14 @@ void evlist__exit(struct evlist *evlist)
 	perf_evlist__exit(&evlist->core);
 }
 
-void evlist__delete(struct evlist *evlist)
+void evlist__put(struct evlist *evlist)
 {
 	if (evlist == NULL)
 		return;
 
+	if (!refcount_dec_and_test(&evlist->refcnt))
+		return;
+
 	evlist__free_stats(evlist);
 	evlist__munmap(evlist);
 	evlist__close(evlist);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
index e54761c670b6..a9820a6aad5b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ struct event_enable_timer;
 
 struct evlist {
 	struct perf_evlist core;
+	refcount_t	 refcnt;
 	bool		 enabled;
 	bool		 no_affinity;
 	int		 id_pos;
@@ -109,10 +110,8 @@ struct evsel_str_handler {
 struct evlist *evlist__new(void);
 struct evlist *evlist__new_default(const struct target *target, bool sample_callchains);
 struct evlist *evlist__new_dummy(void);
-void evlist__init(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
-		  struct perf_thread_map *threads);
-void evlist__exit(struct evlist *evlist);
-void evlist__delete(struct evlist *evlist);
+struct evlist *evlist__get(struct evlist *evlist);
+void evlist__put(struct evlist *evlist);
 
 void evlist__add(struct evlist *evlist, struct evsel *entry);
 void evlist__remove(struct evlist *evlist, struct evsel *evsel);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/expr.c b/tools/perf/util/expr.c
index 232998fef72b..8aef3c7418f7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/expr.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/expr.c
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ double expr__has_event(const struct expr_parse_ctx *ctx, bool compute_ids, const
 		ret = parse_event(tmp, id) ? 0 : 1;
 	}
 out:
-	evlist__delete(tmp);
+	evlist__put(tmp);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 091d8f7f6bd2..167ec2703d0e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -5186,7 +5186,7 @@ int perf_session__read_header(struct perf_session *session)
 			pr_err("Invalid ids section size %" PRIu64 " for attr %d, not aligned to u64\n",
 			       f_attr.ids.size, i);
 			err = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		/*
@@ -5199,7 +5199,7 @@ int perf_session__read_header(struct perf_session *session)
 			pr_err("Invalid ids section size %" PRIu64 " for attr %d, too many IDs\n",
 			       f_attr.ids.size, i);
 			err = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		/*
@@ -5212,19 +5212,19 @@ int perf_session__read_header(struct perf_session *session)
 			pr_err("Invalid ids section for attr %d: offset=%" PRIu64 " size=%" PRIu64 " exceeds file size %" PRIu64 "\n",
 			       i, f_attr.ids.offset, f_attr.ids.size, (u64)input_stat.st_size);
 			err = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 
 		tmp = lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_CUR);
 		evsel = evsel__new(&f_attr.attr);
 
 		if (evsel == NULL)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 
 		evsel->needs_swap = header->needs_swap;
 		/*
 		 * Do it before so that if perf_evsel__alloc_id fails, this
-		 * entry gets purged too at evlist__delete().
+		 * entry gets purged too at evlist__put().
 		 */
 		evlist__add(session->evlist, evsel);
 
@@ -5235,7 +5235,7 @@ int perf_session__read_header(struct perf_session *session)
 		 * hattr->ids threads.
 		 */
 		if (perf_evsel__alloc_id(&evsel->core, 1, nr_ids))
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 
 		lseek(fd, f_attr.ids.offset, SEEK_SET);
 
@@ -5265,18 +5265,18 @@ int perf_session__read_header(struct perf_session *session)
 		err = perf_header__process_sections(header, fd, &session->tevent,
 						    perf_file_section__process);
 		if (err < 0)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 
 		if (evlist__prepare_tracepoint_events(session->evlist,
 						      session->tevent.pevent)) {
 			err = -ENOMEM;
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 		}
 #else
 		err = perf_header__process_sections(header, fd, NULL,
 						    perf_file_section__process);
 		if (err < 0)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 #endif
 	}
 
@@ -5302,8 +5302,8 @@ int perf_session__read_header(struct perf_session *session)
 out_errno:
 	return -errno;
 
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(session->evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(session->evlist);
 	session->evlist = NULL;
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
index c2ce3e53aaee..2c4e9fefb41f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ static void metric__free(struct metric *m)
 	zfree(&m->metric_refs);
 	expr__ctx_free(m->pctx);
 	zfree(&m->modifier);
-	evlist__delete(m->evlist);
+	evlist__put(m->evlist);
 	free(m);
 }
 
@@ -1331,7 +1331,7 @@ static int parse_ids(bool metric_no_merge, bool fake_pmu,
 	parsed_evlist = NULL;
 err_out:
 	parse_events_error__exit(&parse_error);
-	evlist__delete(parsed_evlist);
+	evlist__put(parsed_evlist);
 	strbuf_release(&events);
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -1542,7 +1542,7 @@ static int parse_groups(struct evlist *perf_evlist,
 
 	if (combined_evlist) {
 		evlist__splice_list_tail(perf_evlist, &combined_evlist->core.entries);
-		evlist__delete(combined_evlist);
+		evlist__put(combined_evlist);
 	}
 
 	list_for_each_entry(m, &metric_list, nd) {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 943569e82b82..8fb5626d5d37 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -2343,7 +2343,7 @@ int __parse_events(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str, const char *pmu_filte
 
 	/*
 	 * There are 2 users - builtin-record and builtin-test objects.
-	 * Both call evlist__delete in case of error, so we dont
+	 * Both call evlist__put in case of error, so we dont
 	 * need to bother.
 	 */
 	return ret;
@@ -2546,7 +2546,7 @@ int parse_events_option_new_evlist(const struct option *opt, const char *str, in
 	}
 	ret = parse_events_option(opt, str, unset);
 	if (ret) {
-		evlist__delete(*args->evlistp);
+		evlist__put(*args->evlistp);
 		*args->evlistp = NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c b/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c
index e1904a330b28..f61c4ec52827 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ static int perf_do_probe_api(setup_probe_fn_t fn, struct perf_cpu cpu, const cha
 	err = 0;
 
 out_delete:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/python.c b/tools/perf/util/python.c
index 98a8dd9b673d..7483741c024a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/python.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/python.c
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ static int pyrf_evsel__setup_types(void)
 struct pyrf_evlist {
 	PyObject_HEAD
 
-	struct evlist evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist;
 };
 
 static int pyrf_evlist__init(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
@@ -1302,18 +1302,27 @@ static int pyrf_evlist__init(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 	struct perf_cpu_map *cpus;
 	struct perf_thread_map *threads;
 
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "OO", &pcpus, &pthreads))
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O!O!",
+			      &pyrf_cpu_map__type, &pcpus,
+			      &pyrf_thread_map__type, &pthreads))
 		return -1;
 
+	evlist__put(pevlist->evlist);
+	pevlist->evlist = evlist__new();
+	if (!pevlist->evlist) {
+		PyErr_NoMemory();
+		return -1;
+	}
 	threads = ((struct pyrf_thread_map *)pthreads)->threads;
 	cpus = ((struct pyrf_cpu_map *)pcpus)->cpus;
-	evlist__init(&pevlist->evlist, cpus, threads);
+	perf_evlist__set_maps(&pevlist->evlist->core, cpus, threads);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
 static void pyrf_evlist__delete(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 {
-	evlist__exit(&pevlist->evlist);
+	evlist__put(pevlist->evlist);
 	Py_TYPE(pevlist)->tp_free((PyObject*)pevlist);
 }
 
@@ -1322,7 +1331,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__all_cpus(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 	struct pyrf_cpu_map *pcpu_map = PyObject_New(struct pyrf_cpu_map, &pyrf_cpu_map__type);
 
 	if (pcpu_map)
-		pcpu_map->cpus = perf_cpu_map__get(pevlist->evlist.core.all_cpus);
+		pcpu_map->cpus = perf_cpu_map__get(pevlist->evlist->core.all_cpus);
 
 	return (PyObject *)pcpu_map;
 }
@@ -1335,7 +1344,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__metrics(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 	if (!list)
 		return NULL;
 
-	for (node = rb_first_cached(&pevlist->evlist.metric_events.entries); node;
+	for (node = rb_first_cached(&pevlist->evlist->metric_events.entries); node;
 	     node = rb_next(node)) {
 		struct metric_event *me = container_of(node, struct metric_event, nd);
 		struct list_head *pos;
@@ -1441,7 +1450,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__compute_metric(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "sii", &metric, &cpu, &thread))
 		return NULL;
 
-	for (node = rb_first_cached(&pevlist->evlist.metric_events.entries);
+	for (node = rb_first_cached(&pevlist->evlist->metric_events.entries);
 	     mexp == NULL && node;
 	     node = rb_next(node)) {
 		struct metric_event *me = container_of(node, struct metric_event, nd);
@@ -1457,7 +1466,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__compute_metric(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 			if (e->metric_events[0] == NULL)
 				continue;
 
-			evlist__for_each_entry(&pevlist->evlist, pos2) {
+			evlist__for_each_entry(pevlist->evlist, pos2) {
 				if (pos2->metric_leader != e->metric_events[0])
 					continue;
 				cpu_idx = perf_cpu_map__idx(pos2->core.cpus,
@@ -1502,7 +1511,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__compute_metric(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__mmap(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 				   PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 	static char *kwlist[] = { "pages", "overwrite", NULL };
 	int pages = 128, overwrite = false;
 
@@ -1522,7 +1531,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__mmap(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__poll(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 				   PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 	static char *kwlist[] = { "timeout", NULL };
 	int timeout = -1, n;
 
@@ -1542,7 +1551,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__get_pollfd(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 					 PyObject *args __maybe_unused,
 					 PyObject *kwargs __maybe_unused)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
         PyObject *list = PyList_New(0);
 	int i;
 
@@ -1571,7 +1580,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__add(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 				  PyObject *args,
 				  PyObject *kwargs __maybe_unused)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 	PyObject *pevsel;
 	struct evsel *evsel;
 
@@ -1603,7 +1612,7 @@ static struct mmap *get_md(struct evlist *evlist, int cpu)
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__read_on_cpu(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 					  PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 	union perf_event *event;
 	int sample_id_all = 1, cpu;
 	static char *kwlist[] = { "cpu", "sample_id_all", NULL };
@@ -1660,7 +1669,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__read_on_cpu(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__open(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 				   PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 
 	if (evlist__open(evlist) < 0) {
 		PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_OSError);
@@ -1673,7 +1682,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__open(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist,
 
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__close(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 {
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 
 	evlist__close(evlist);
 
@@ -1699,7 +1708,7 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__config(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 		.no_buffering        = true,
 		.no_inherit          = true,
 	};
-	struct evlist *evlist = &pevlist->evlist;
+	struct evlist *evlist = pevlist->evlist;
 
 	evlist__config(evlist, &opts, &callchain_param);
 	Py_INCREF(Py_None);
@@ -1708,14 +1717,14 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__config(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__disable(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 {
-	evlist__disable(&pevlist->evlist);
+	evlist__disable(pevlist->evlist);
 	Py_INCREF(Py_None);
 	return Py_None;
 }
 
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__enable(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist)
 {
-	evlist__enable(&pevlist->evlist);
+	evlist__enable(pevlist->evlist);
 	Py_INCREF(Py_None);
 	return Py_None;
 }
@@ -1806,7 +1815,26 @@ static Py_ssize_t pyrf_evlist__length(PyObject *obj)
 {
 	struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist = (void *)obj;
 
-	return pevlist->evlist.core.nr_entries;
+	if (!pevlist->evlist)
+		return 0;
+
+	return pevlist->evlist->core.nr_entries;
+}
+
+static PyObject *pyrf_evsel__from_evsel(struct evsel *evsel)
+{
+	struct pyrf_evsel *pevsel = PyObject_New(struct pyrf_evsel, &pyrf_evsel__type);
+
+	if (!pevsel)
+		return NULL;
+
+	memset(&pevsel->evsel, 0, sizeof(pevsel->evsel));
+	evsel__init(&pevsel->evsel, &evsel->core.attr, evsel->core.idx);
+
+	evsel__clone(&pevsel->evsel, evsel);
+	if (evsel__is_group_leader(evsel))
+		evsel__set_leader(&pevsel->evsel, &pevsel->evsel);
+	return (PyObject *)pevsel;
 }
 
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__item(PyObject *obj, Py_ssize_t i)
@@ -1814,17 +1842,16 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__item(PyObject *obj, Py_ssize_t i)
 	struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist = (void *)obj;
 	struct evsel *pos;
 
-	if (i >= pevlist->evlist.core.nr_entries) {
+	if (!pevlist->evlist || i >= pevlist->evlist->core.nr_entries) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "Index out of range");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	evlist__for_each_entry(&pevlist->evlist, pos) {
+	evlist__for_each_entry(pevlist->evlist, pos) {
 		if (i-- == 0)
 			break;
 	}
-
-	return Py_BuildValue("O", container_of(pos, struct pyrf_evsel, evsel));
+	return pyrf_evsel__from_evsel(pos);
 }
 
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__str(PyObject *self)
@@ -1835,8 +1862,11 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__str(PyObject *self)
 	bool first = true;
 	PyObject *result;
 
+	if (!pevlist->evlist)
+		return PyUnicode_FromString("evlist(uninitialized)");
+
 	strbuf_addstr(&sb, "evlist([");
-	evlist__for_each_entry(&pevlist->evlist, pos) {
+	evlist__for_each_entry(pevlist->evlist, pos) {
 		if (!first)
 			strbuf_addch(&sb, ',');
 		if (!pos->pmu)
@@ -1858,6 +1888,24 @@ static PySequenceMethods pyrf_evlist__sequence_methods = {
 
 static const char pyrf_evlist__doc[] = PyDoc_STR("perf event selector list object.");
 
+static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__getattro(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist, PyObject *attr_name)
+{
+	if (!pevlist->evlist) {
+		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "evlist not initialized");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	return PyObject_GenericGetAttr((PyObject *) pevlist, attr_name);
+}
+
+static int pyrf_evlist__setattro(struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist, PyObject *attr_name, PyObject *value)
+{
+	if (!pevlist->evlist) {
+		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "evlist not initialized");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return PyObject_GenericSetAttr((PyObject *) pevlist, attr_name, value);
+}
+
 static PyTypeObject pyrf_evlist__type = {
 	PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL, 0)
 	.tp_name	= "perf.evlist",
@@ -1870,11 +1918,23 @@ static PyTypeObject pyrf_evlist__type = {
 	.tp_init	= (initproc)pyrf_evlist__init,
 	.tp_repr        = pyrf_evlist__str,
 	.tp_str         = pyrf_evlist__str,
+	.tp_getattro	= (getattrofunc) pyrf_evlist__getattro,
+	.tp_setattro	= (setattrofunc) pyrf_evlist__setattro,
 };
 
+static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
+{
+	struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist;
+
+	pevlist = (struct pyrf_evlist *)PyType_GenericNew(type, args, kwargs);
+	if (pevlist)
+		pevlist->evlist = NULL;
+	return (PyObject *)pevlist;
+}
+
 static int pyrf_evlist__setup_types(void)
 {
-	pyrf_evlist__type.tp_new = PyType_GenericNew;
+	pyrf_evlist__type.tp_new = pyrf_evlist__new;
 	return PyType_Ready(&pyrf_evlist__type);
 }
 
@@ -1977,157 +2037,74 @@ static PyObject *pyrf__tracepoint(struct pyrf_evsel *pevsel,
 	return PyLong_FromLong(tp_pmu__id(sys, name));
 }
 
-static PyObject *pyrf_evsel__from_evsel(struct evsel *evsel)
-{
-	struct pyrf_evsel *pevsel = PyObject_New(struct pyrf_evsel, &pyrf_evsel__type);
-
-	if (!pevsel)
-		return NULL;
-
-	memset(&pevsel->evsel, 0, sizeof(pevsel->evsel));
-	evsel__init(&pevsel->evsel, &evsel->core.attr, evsel->core.idx);
-
-	evsel__clone(&pevsel->evsel, evsel);
-	if (evsel__is_group_leader(evsel))
-		evsel__set_leader(&pevsel->evsel, &pevsel->evsel);
-	return (PyObject *)pevsel;
-}
-
-static int evlist__pos(struct evlist *evlist, struct evsel *evsel)
-{
-	struct evsel *pos;
-	int idx = 0;
-
-	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, pos) {
-		if (evsel == pos)
-			return idx;
-		idx++;
-	}
-	return -1;
-}
-
-static struct evsel *evlist__at(struct evlist *evlist, int idx)
-{
-	struct evsel *pos;
-	int idx2 = 0;
-
-	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, pos) {
-		if (idx == idx2)
-			return pos;
-		idx2++;
-	}
-	return NULL;
-}
-
 static PyObject *pyrf_evlist__from_evlist(struct evlist *evlist)
 {
 	struct pyrf_evlist *pevlist = PyObject_New(struct pyrf_evlist, &pyrf_evlist__type);
-	struct evsel *pos;
-	struct rb_node *node;
 
 	if (!pevlist)
 		return NULL;
 
-	memset(&pevlist->evlist, 0, sizeof(pevlist->evlist));
-	evlist__init(&pevlist->evlist, evlist->core.all_cpus, evlist->core.threads);
-	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, pos) {
-		struct pyrf_evsel *pevsel = (void *)pyrf_evsel__from_evsel(pos);
-
-		evlist__add(&pevlist->evlist, &pevsel->evsel);
-	}
-	evlist__for_each_entry(&pevlist->evlist, pos) {
-		struct evsel *leader = evsel__leader(pos);
-
-		if (pos != leader) {
-			int idx = evlist__pos(evlist, leader);
-
-			if (idx >= 0)
-				evsel__set_leader(pos, evlist__at(&pevlist->evlist, idx));
-			else if (leader == NULL)
-				evsel__set_leader(pos, pos);
-		}
-
-		leader = pos->metric_leader;
-
-		if (pos != leader) {
-			int idx = evlist__pos(evlist, leader);
-
-			if (idx >= 0)
-				pos->metric_leader = evlist__at(&pevlist->evlist, idx);
-			else if (leader == NULL)
-				pos->metric_leader = pos;
-		}
-	}
-	metricgroup__copy_metric_events(&pevlist->evlist, /*cgrp=*/NULL,
-					&pevlist->evlist.metric_events,
-					&evlist->metric_events);
-	for (node = rb_first_cached(&pevlist->evlist.metric_events.entries); node;
-	     node = rb_next(node)) {
-		struct metric_event *me = container_of(node, struct metric_event, nd);
-		struct list_head *mpos;
-		int idx = evlist__pos(evlist, me->evsel);
-
-		if (idx >= 0)
-			me->evsel = evlist__at(&pevlist->evlist, idx);
-		list_for_each(mpos, &me->head) {
-			struct metric_expr *e = container_of(mpos, struct metric_expr, nd);
-
-			for (int j = 0; e->metric_events[j]; j++) {
-				idx = evlist__pos(evlist, e->metric_events[j]);
-				if (idx >= 0)
-					e->metric_events[j] = evlist__at(&pevlist->evlist, idx);
-			}
-		}
-	}
+	pevlist->evlist = evlist__get(evlist);
 	return (PyObject *)pevlist;
 }
 
 static PyObject *pyrf__parse_events(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
 	const char *input;
-	struct evlist evlist = {};
+	struct evlist *evlist = evlist__new();
 	struct parse_events_error err;
 	PyObject *result;
 	PyObject *pcpus = NULL, *pthreads = NULL;
 	struct perf_cpu_map *cpus;
 	struct perf_thread_map *threads;
 
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s|OO", &input, &pcpus, &pthreads))
+	if (!evlist)
+		return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s|OO", &input, &pcpus, &pthreads)) {
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	threads = pthreads ? ((struct pyrf_thread_map *)pthreads)->threads : NULL;
 	cpus = pcpus ? ((struct pyrf_cpu_map *)pcpus)->cpus : NULL;
 
 	parse_events_error__init(&err);
-	evlist__init(&evlist, cpus, threads);
-	if (parse_events(&evlist, input, &err)) {
+	perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, cpus, threads);
+	if (parse_events(evlist, input, &err)) {
 		parse_events_error__print(&err, input);
 		PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_OSError);
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	result = pyrf_evlist__from_evlist(&evlist);
-	evlist__exit(&evlist);
+	result = pyrf_evlist__from_evlist(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return result;
 }
 
 static PyObject *pyrf__parse_metrics(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
 	const char *input, *pmu = NULL;
-	struct evlist evlist = {};
+	struct evlist *evlist = evlist__new();
 	PyObject *result;
 	PyObject *pcpus = NULL, *pthreads = NULL;
 	struct perf_cpu_map *cpus;
 	struct perf_thread_map *threads;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s|sOO", &input, &pmu, &pcpus, &pthreads))
+	if (!evlist)
+		return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s|sOO", &input, &pmu, &pcpus, &pthreads)) {
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	threads = pthreads ? ((struct pyrf_thread_map *)pthreads)->threads : NULL;
 	cpus = pcpus ? ((struct pyrf_cpu_map *)pcpus)->cpus : NULL;
 
-	evlist__init(&evlist, cpus, threads);
-	ret = metricgroup__parse_groups(&evlist, pmu ?: "all", input,
+	perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, cpus, threads);
+	ret = metricgroup__parse_groups(evlist, pmu ?: "all", input,
 					/*metric_no_group=*/ false,
 					/*metric_no_merge=*/ false,
 					/*metric_no_threshold=*/ true,
@@ -2135,12 +2112,13 @@ static PyObject *pyrf__parse_metrics(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 					/*system_wide=*/true,
 					/*hardware_aware_grouping=*/ false);
 	if (ret) {
+		evlist__put(evlist);
 		errno = -ret;
 		PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_OSError);
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	result = pyrf_evlist__from_evlist(&evlist);
-	evlist__exit(&evlist);
+	result = pyrf_evlist__from_evlist(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/record.c b/tools/perf/util/record.c
index e867de8ddaaa..8a5fc7d5e43c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/record.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ bool evlist__can_select_event(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str)
 	ret = true;
 
 out_delete:
-	evlist__delete(temp_evlist);
+	evlist__put(temp_evlist);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.c b/tools/perf/util/session.c
index f391a822480d..384bf5d1571f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ void perf_session__delete(struct perf_session *session)
 	machines__exit(&session->machines);
 	if (session->data) {
 		if (perf_data__is_read(session->data))
-			evlist__delete(session->evlist);
+			evlist__put(session->evlist);
 		perf_data__close(session->data);
 	}
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBTRACEEVENT
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/sideband_evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/sideband_evlist.c
index 388846f17bc1..b84a5463e039 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/sideband_evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/sideband_evlist.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ int evlist__start_sb_thread(struct evlist *evlist, struct target *target)
 		return 0;
 
 	if (evlist__create_maps(evlist, target))
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	if (evlist->core.nr_entries > 1) {
 		bool can_sample_identifier = perf_can_sample_identifier();
@@ -116,25 +116,25 @@ int evlist__start_sb_thread(struct evlist *evlist, struct target *target)
 	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, counter) {
 		if (evsel__open(counter, evlist->core.user_requested_cpus,
 				evlist->core.threads) < 0)
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (evlist__mmap(evlist, UINT_MAX))
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, counter) {
 		if (evsel__enable(counter))
-			goto out_delete_evlist;
+			goto out_put_evlist;
 	}
 
 	evlist->thread.done = 0;
 	if (pthread_create(&evlist->thread.th, NULL, perf_evlist__poll_thread, evlist))
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
+		goto out_put_evlist;
 
 	return 0;
 
-out_delete_evlist:
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+out_put_evlist:
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 	evlist = NULL;
 	return -1;
 }
@@ -145,5 +145,5 @@ void evlist__stop_sb_thread(struct evlist *evlist)
 		return;
 	evlist->thread.done = 1;
 	pthread_join(evlist->thread.th, NULL);
-	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	evlist__put(evlist);
 }