diff --git a/tools/perf/util/python.c b/tools/perf/util/python.c
index f64d662bd3ee..a1334400874c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/python.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/python.c
@@ -2113,11 +2113,21 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_evsel__open(struct pyrf_evsel *pevsel,
 					 &pcpus, &pthreads, &group, &inherit))
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (pthreads != NULL && pthreads != Py_None)
+	if (pthreads != NULL && pthreads != Py_None) {
+		if (!PyObject_TypeCheck(pthreads, &pyrf_thread_map__type)) {
+			PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "threads must be a thread_map");
+			return NULL;
+		}
 		threads = ((struct pyrf_thread_map *)pthreads)->threads;
+	}
 
-	if (pcpus != NULL && pcpus != Py_None)
+	if (pcpus != NULL && pcpus != Py_None) {
+		if (!PyObject_TypeCheck(pcpus, &pyrf_cpu_map__type)) {
+			PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "cpus must be a cpu_map");
+			return NULL;
+		}
 		cpus = ((struct pyrf_cpu_map *)pcpus)->cpus;
+	}
 
 	evsel->core.attr.inherit = inherit;
 	/*