diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 5b3a0ef4e232..c7fc18a33d54 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -593,17 +593,27 @@ int parse_events_add_breakpoint(struct list_head *list, int *idx,
 static int config_term(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
 		       struct parse_events__term *term)
 {
-	switch (term->type) {
+#define CHECK_TYPE_VAL(type)					\
+do {								\
+	if (PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_ ## type != term->type_val)	\
+		return -EINVAL;					\
+} while (0)
+
+	switch (term->type_term) {
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG:
+		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
 		attr->config = term->val.num;
 		break;
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG1:
+		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
 		attr->config1 = term->val.num;
 		break;
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG2:
+		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
 		attr->config2 = term->val.num;
 		break;
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_SAMPLE_PERIOD:
+		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
 		attr->sample_period = term->val.num;
 		break;
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_BRANCH_SAMPLE_TYPE:
@@ -615,7 +625,9 @@ static int config_term(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
 	default:
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+
 	return 0;
+#undef CHECK_TYPE_VAL
 }
 
 static int config_attr(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
@@ -1015,11 +1027,12 @@ void print_events(const char *event_glob)
 
 int parse_events__is_hardcoded_term(struct parse_events__term *term)
 {
-	return term->type <= PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_HARDCODED_MAX;
+	return term->type_term != PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER;
 }
 
-int parse_events__new_term(struct parse_events__term **_term, int type,
-			   char *config, char *str, long num)
+static int new_term(struct parse_events__term **_term, int type_val,
+		    int type_term, char *config,
+		    char *str, long num)
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term;
 
@@ -1028,15 +1041,11 @@ int parse_events__new_term(struct parse_events__term **_term, int type,
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&term->list);
-	term->type = type;
+	term->type_val  = type_val;
+	term->type_term = type_term;
 	term->config = config;
 
-	switch (type) {
-	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG:
-	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG1:
-	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG2:
-	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_SAMPLE_PERIOD:
-	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_BRANCH_SAMPLE_TYPE:
+	switch (type_val) {
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM:
 		term->val.num = num;
 		break;
@@ -1051,6 +1060,20 @@ int parse_events__new_term(struct parse_events__term **_term, int type,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int parse_events__term_num(struct parse_events__term **term,
+			   int type_term, char *config, long num)
+{
+	return new_term(term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM, type_term,
+			config, NULL, num);
+}
+
+int parse_events__term_str(struct parse_events__term **term,
+			   int type_term, char *config, char *str)
+{
+	return new_term(term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_STR, type_term,
+			config, str, 0);
+}
+
 void parse_events__free_terms(struct list_head *terms)
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term, *h;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
index 5cb002894a17..3fddd610d350 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
@@ -36,16 +36,17 @@ extern int parse_filter(const struct option *opt, const char *str, int unset);
 #define EVENTS_HELP_MAX (128*1024)
 
 enum {
+	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_STR,
+};
+
+enum {
+	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG1,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CONFIG2,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_SAMPLE_PERIOD,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_BRANCH_SAMPLE_TYPE,
-	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
-	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_STR,
-
-	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_HARDCODED_MAX =
-		PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_BRANCH_SAMPLE_TYPE,
 };
 
 struct parse_events__term {
@@ -54,14 +55,16 @@ struct parse_events__term {
 		char *str;
 		long  num;
 	} val;
-	int type;
-
+	int type_val;
+	int type_term;
 	struct list_head list;
 };
 
 int parse_events__is_hardcoded_term(struct parse_events__term *term);
-int parse_events__new_term(struct parse_events__term **term, int type,
-			   char *config, char *str, long num);
+int parse_events__term_num(struct parse_events__term **_term,
+			   int type_term, char *config, long num);
+int parse_events__term_str(struct parse_events__term **_term,
+			   int type_term, char *config, char *str);
 void parse_events__free_terms(struct list_head *terms);
 int parse_events_modifier(struct list_head *list __used, char *str __used);
 int parse_events_add_tracepoint(struct list_head *list, int *idx,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
index d9637da7333c..936913ea0ab6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ PE_NAME '=' PE_NAME
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term;
 
-	ABORT_ON(parse_events__new_term(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_STR,
-		 $1, $3, 0));
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events__term_str(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
+					$1, $3));
 	$$ = term;
 }
 |
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ PE_NAME '=' PE_VALUE
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term;
 
-	ABORT_ON(parse_events__new_term(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
-		 $1, NULL, $3));
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events__term_num(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
+					$1, $3));
 	$$ = term;
 }
 |
@@ -194,8 +194,8 @@ PE_NAME
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term;
 
-	ABORT_ON(parse_events__new_term(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
-		 $1, NULL, 1));
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events__term_num(&term, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
+					$1, 1));
 	$$ = term;
 }
 |
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ PE_TERM '=' PE_VALUE
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term;
 
-	ABORT_ON(parse_events__new_term(&term, $1, NULL, NULL, $3));
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events__term_num(&term, $1, NULL, $3));
 	$$ = term;
 }
 |
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ PE_TERM
 {
 	struct parse_events__term *term;
 
-	ABORT_ON(parse_events__new_term(&term, $1, NULL, NULL, 1));
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events__term_num(&term, $1, NULL, 1));
 	$$ = term;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
index cb08a118e811..8ee219b7285b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int pmu_config_term(struct list_head *formats,
 	if (parse_events__is_hardcoded_term(term))
 		return 0;
 
-	if (term->type != PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM)
+	if (term->type_val != PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	format = pmu_find_format(formats, term->config);
@@ -246,6 +246,11 @@ static int pmu_config_term(struct list_head *formats,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * XXX If we ever decide to go with string values for
+	 * non-hardcoded terms, here's the place to translate
+	 * them into value.
+	 */
 	*vp |= pmu_format_value(format->bits, term->val.num);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -324,49 +329,58 @@ static struct test_format {
 /* Simulated users input. */
 static struct parse_events__term test_terms[] = {
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava01",
-		.val.num = 15,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava01",
+		.val.num   = 15,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava02",
-		.val.num = 170,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava02",
+		.val.num   = 170,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava03",
-		.val.num = 1,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava03",
+		.val.num   = 1,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava11",
-		.val.num = 27,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava11",
+		.val.num   = 27,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava12",
-		.val.num = 1,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava12",
+		.val.num   = 1,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava13",
-		.val.num = 2,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava13",
+		.val.num   = 2,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava21",
-		.val.num = 119,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava21",
+		.val.num   = 119,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava22",
-		.val.num = 11,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava22",
+		.val.num   = 11,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 	{
-		.config  = (char *) "krava23",
-		.val.num = 2,
-		.type    = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.config    = (char *) "krava23",
+		.val.num   = 2,
+		.type_val  = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NUM,
+		.type_term = PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
 	},
 };
 #define TERMS_CNT (sizeof(test_terms) / sizeof(struct parse_events__term))