diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 6b3cb94e8a2b..709e3252f049 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -105,24 +105,28 @@ struct perf_trace_event_type {
 static int event_count;
 static struct perf_trace_event_type *events;
 
-void perf_header__push_event(u64 id, const char *name)
+int perf_header__push_event(u64 id, const char *name)
 {
 	if (strlen(name) > MAX_EVENT_NAME)
 		pr_warning("Event %s will be truncated\n", name);
 
 	if (!events) {
 		events = malloc(sizeof(struct perf_trace_event_type));
-		if (!events)
-			die("nomem");
+		if (events == NULL)
+			return -ENOMEM;
 	} else {
-		events = realloc(events, (event_count + 1) * sizeof(struct perf_trace_event_type));
-		if (!events)
-			die("nomem");
+		struct perf_trace_event_type *nevents;
+
+		nevents = realloc(events, (event_count + 1) * sizeof(*events));
+		if (nevents == NULL)
+			return -ENOMEM;
+		events = nevents;
 	}
 	memset(&events[event_count], 0, sizeof(struct perf_trace_event_type));
 	events[event_count].event_id = id;
 	strncpy(events[event_count].name, name, MAX_EVENT_NAME - 1);
 	event_count++;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 char *perf_header__find_event(u64 id)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.h b/tools/perf/util/header.h
index d118d05d3abe..2b69aab67e35 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ int perf_header__write(struct perf_header *self, int fd, bool at_exit);
 int perf_header__add_attr(struct perf_header *self,
 			  struct perf_header_attr *attr);
 
-void perf_header__push_event(u64 id, const char *name);
+int perf_header__push_event(u64 id, const char *name);
 char *perf_header__find_event(u64 id);
 
 struct perf_header_attr *perf_header_attr__new(struct perf_event_attr *attr);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index dc585a835cab..609d5a9470c5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -753,11 +753,11 @@ parse_event_symbols(const char **str, struct perf_event_attr *attr)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static void store_event_type(const char *orgname)
+static int store_event_type(const char *orgname)
 {
 	char filename[PATH_MAX], *c;
 	FILE *file;
-	int id;
+	int id, n;
 
 	sprintf(filename, "%s/", debugfs_path);
 	strncat(filename, orgname, strlen(orgname));
@@ -769,11 +769,14 @@ static void store_event_type(const char *orgname)
 
 	file = fopen(filename, "r");
 	if (!file)
-		return;
-	if (fscanf(file, "%i", &id) < 1)
-		die("cannot store event ID");
+		return 0;
+	n = fscanf(file, "%i", &id);
 	fclose(file);
-	perf_header__push_event(id, orgname);
+	if (n < 1) {
+		pr_err("cannot store event ID\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	return perf_header__push_event(id, orgname);
 }
 
 int parse_events(const struct option *opt __used, const char *str, int unset __used)
@@ -782,7 +785,8 @@ int parse_events(const struct option *opt __used, const char *str, int unset __u
 	enum event_result ret;
 
 	if (strchr(str, ':'))
-		store_event_type(str);
+		if (store_event_type(str) < 0)
+			return -1;
 
 	for (;;) {
 		if (nr_counters == MAX_COUNTERS)