diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 578288c94d2a..a0a80f4e7038 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1388,8 +1388,15 @@ int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 	if (get_config_terms(head_config, &config_terms))
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	if (perf_pmu__config(pmu, &attr, head_config, parse_state->error))
+	if (perf_pmu__config(pmu, &attr, head_config, parse_state->error)) {
+		struct perf_evsel_config_term *pos, *tmp;
+
+		list_for_each_entry_safe(pos, tmp, &config_terms, list) {
+			list_del_init(&pos->list);
+			free(pos);
+		}
 		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 
 	evsel = __add_event(list, &parse_state->idx, &attr,
 			    get_config_name(head_config), pmu,