diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c
index a82d99fec83e..4c770d252fd2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c
@@ -49,18 +49,16 @@ static int perf_session__list_build_ids(bool force, bool with_hits)
 	struct perf_session *session;
 
 	symbol__elf_init();
+	/*
+	 * See if this is an ELF file first:
+	 */
+	if (filename__fprintf_build_id(input_name, stdout))
+		goto out;
 
 	session = perf_session__new(input_name, O_RDONLY, force, false,
 				    &build_id__mark_dso_hit_ops);
 	if (session == NULL)
 		return -1;
-
-	/*
-	 * See if this is an ELF file first:
-	 */
-	if (filename__fprintf_build_id(session->filename, stdout))
-		goto out;
-
 	/*
 	 * in pipe-mode, the only way to get the buildids is to parse
 	 * the record stream. Buildids are stored as RECORD_HEADER_BUILD_ID
@@ -69,8 +67,8 @@ static int perf_session__list_build_ids(bool force, bool with_hits)
 		perf_session__process_events(session, &build_id__mark_dso_hit_ops);
 
 	perf_session__fprintf_dsos_buildid(session, stdout, with_hits);
-out:
 	perf_session__delete(session);
+out:
 	return 0;
 }