diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index e3fa3bf7498a22..c0768c61eb430d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -946,6 +946,10 @@ int perf_evlist__create_maps(struct evlist *evlist, struct target *target)
 
 	perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, cpus, threads);
 
+	/* as evlist now has references, put count here */
+	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
+	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
+
 	return 0;
 
 out_delete_threads:
@@ -1273,11 +1277,12 @@ static int perf_evlist__create_syswide_maps(struct evlist *evlist)
 		goto out_put;
 
 	perf_evlist__set_maps(&evlist->core, cpus, threads);
-out:
-	return err;
+
+	perf_thread_map__put(threads);
 out_put:
 	perf_cpu_map__put(cpus);
-	goto out;
+out:
+	return err;
 }
 
 int evlist__open(struct evlist *evlist)