diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 9e2dce70b130..eaeeba8d65ec 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -4314,9 +4314,10 @@ 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: