diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.c b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
index 54bfe1f4762f..cbeecf683333 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
@@ -250,8 +250,10 @@ bool dso__needs_decompress(struct dso *dso)
 		dso->symtab_type == DSO_BINARY_TYPE__GUEST_KMODULE_COMP;
 }
 
-static int decompress_kmodule(struct dso *dso, const char *name, char *tmpbuf)
+static int decompress_kmodule(struct dso *dso, const char *name,
+			      char *pathname, size_t len)
 {
+	char tmpbuf[] = KMOD_DECOMP_NAME;
 	int fd = -1;
 
 	if (!dso__needs_decompress(dso))
@@ -272,34 +274,27 @@ static int decompress_kmodule(struct dso *dso, const char *name, char *tmpbuf)
 		fd = -1;
 	}
 
+	if (!pathname || (fd < 0))
+		unlink(tmpbuf);
+
+	if (pathname && (fd >= 0))
+		strncpy(pathname, tmpbuf, len);
+
 	return fd;
 }
 
 int dso__decompress_kmodule_fd(struct dso *dso, const char *name)
 {
-	char tmpbuf[] = KMOD_DECOMP_NAME;
-	int fd;
-
-	fd = decompress_kmodule(dso, name, tmpbuf);
-	unlink(tmpbuf);
-	return fd;
+	return decompress_kmodule(dso, name, NULL, 0);
 }
 
 int dso__decompress_kmodule_path(struct dso *dso, const char *name,
 				 char *pathname, size_t len)
 {
-	char tmpbuf[] = KMOD_DECOMP_NAME;
-	int fd;
+	int fd = decompress_kmodule(dso, name, pathname, len);
 
-	fd = decompress_kmodule(dso, name, tmpbuf);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		unlink(tmpbuf);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	strncpy(pathname, tmpbuf, len);
 	close(fd);
-	return 0;
+	return fd >= 0 ? 0 : -1;
 }
 
 /*