diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 450384b3bbe5..95a44bcfc2dc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -213,9 +213,10 @@ struct perf_header *perf_header__read(int fd)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nr_attrs; i++) {
 		struct perf_header_attr *attr;
-		off_t tmp = lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_CUR);
+		off_t tmp;
 
 		do_read(fd, &f_attr, sizeof(f_attr));
+		tmp = lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_CUR);
 
 		attr = perf_header_attr__new(&f_attr.attr);