diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 89494b6213a6..006a7f721549 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1673,44 +1673,50 @@ int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 }
 
 int parse_events_multi_pmu_add(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
-			       char *str, struct list_head **listp)
+			       char *str, struct list_head *head,
+			       struct list_head **listp)
 {
 	struct parse_events_term *term;
-	struct list_head *list;
+	struct list_head *list = NULL;
 	struct perf_pmu *pmu = NULL;
 	int ok = 0;
+	char *config;
 
 	*listp = NULL;
+
+	if (!head) {
+		head = malloc(sizeof(struct list_head));
+		if (!head)
+			goto out_err;
+
+		INIT_LIST_HEAD(head);
+	}
+	config = strdup(str);
+	if (!config)
+		goto out_err;
+
+	if (parse_events_term__num(&term,
+				   PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
+				   config, 1, false, &config,
+					NULL) < 0) {
+		free(config);
+		goto out_err;
+	}
+	list_add_tail(&term->list, head);
+
+
 	/* Add it for all PMUs that support the alias */
 	list = malloc(sizeof(struct list_head));
 	if (!list)
-		return -1;
+		goto out_err;
+
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(list);
+
 	while ((pmu = perf_pmu__scan(pmu)) != NULL) {
 		struct perf_pmu_alias *alias;
 
 		list_for_each_entry(alias, &pmu->aliases, list) {
 			if (!strcasecmp(alias->name, str)) {
-				struct list_head *head;
-				char *config;
-
-				head = malloc(sizeof(struct list_head));
-				if (!head)
-					return -1;
-				INIT_LIST_HEAD(head);
-				config = strdup(str);
-				if (!config)
-					return -1;
-				if (parse_events_term__num(&term,
-						   PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_USER,
-						   config, 1, false, &config,
-						   NULL) < 0) {
-					free(list);
-					free(config);
-					return -1;
-				}
-				list_add_tail(&term->list, head);
-
 				if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, list,
 							  pmu->name, head,
 							  true, true)) {
@@ -1718,17 +1724,17 @@ int parse_events_multi_pmu_add(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 						 pmu->name, alias->str);
 					ok++;
 				}
-
-				parse_events_terms__delete(head);
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if (!ok) {
+out_err:
+	if (ok)
+		*listp = list;
+	else
 		free(list);
-		return -1;
-	}
-	*listp = list;
-	return 0;
+
+	parse_events_terms__delete(head);
+	return ok ? 0 : -1;
 }
 
 int parse_events__modifier_group(struct list_head *list,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
index c6c8343d311b..07f879e525fe 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ struct evsel *parse_events__add_event(int idx, struct perf_event_attr *attr,
 
 int parse_events_multi_pmu_add(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 			       char *str,
+			       struct list_head *head_config,
 			       struct list_head **listp);
 
 int parse_events_copy_term_list(struct list_head *old,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
index d94e48e1ff9b..17c8c66f3f51 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
@@ -342,7 +342,20 @@ PE_KERNEL_PMU_EVENT sep_dc
 	struct list_head *list;
 	int err;
 
-	err = parse_events_multi_pmu_add(_parse_state, $1, &list);
+	err = parse_events_multi_pmu_add(_parse_state, $1, NULL, &list);
+	free($1);
+	if (err < 0)
+		YYABORT;
+	$$ = list;
+}
+|
+PE_KERNEL_PMU_EVENT opt_pmu_config
+{
+	struct list_head *list;
+	int err;
+
+	/* frees $2 */
+	err = parse_events_multi_pmu_add(_parse_state, $1, $2, &list);
 	free($1);
 	if (err < 0)
 		YYABORT;
@@ -357,7 +370,7 @@ PE_PMU_EVENT_PRE '-' PE_PMU_EVENT_SUF sep_dc
 	snprintf(pmu_name, sizeof(pmu_name), "%s-%s", $1, $3);
 	free($1);
 	free($3);
-	if (parse_events_multi_pmu_add(_parse_state, pmu_name, &list) < 0)
+	if (parse_events_multi_pmu_add(_parse_state, pmu_name, NULL, &list) < 0)
 		YYABORT;
 	$$ = list;
 }