diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 7609b4d468dc..b39b3e4cec8a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -4371,9 +4371,10 @@ size_t perf_event__fprintf_event_update(union perf_event *event, FILE *fp)
 		ret += fprintf(fp, "... ");
 
 		map = cpu_map__new_data(&ev->cpus.cpus);
-		if (map)
+		if (map) {
 			ret += cpu_map__fprintf(map, fp);
-		else
+			perf_cpu_map__put(map);
+		} else
 			ret += fprintf(fp, "failed to get cpus\n");
 		break;
 	default: