diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dsos.c b/tools/perf/util/dsos.c
index 846828ea1f00..5e5e05f86dd3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dsos.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dsos.c
@@ -164,6 +164,9 @@ static struct dso *__dsos__find_by_longname_id(struct dsos *dsos,
 	};
 	struct dso **res;
 
+	if (dsos->dsos == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
 	if (!dsos->sorted) {
 		if (!write_locked) {
 			struct dso *dso;