diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index eefb052190f3..f558f83769af 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -2480,6 +2480,7 @@ static int check_magic_endian(u64 magic, uint64_t hdr_sz,
 	/* check for legacy format */
 	ret = memcmp(&magic, __perf_magic1, sizeof(magic));
 	if (ret == 0) {
+		ph->version = PERF_HEADER_VERSION_1;
 		pr_debug("legacy perf.data format\n");
 		if (is_pipe)
 			return try_all_pipe_abis(hdr_sz, ph);
@@ -2501,6 +2502,7 @@ static int check_magic_endian(u64 magic, uint64_t hdr_sz,
 		return -1;
 
 	ph->needs_swap = true;
+	ph->version = PERF_HEADER_VERSION_2;
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.h b/tools/perf/util/header.h
index e6387dcb95c0..307c9aed972e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.h
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ enum {
 	HEADER_FEAT_BITS	= 256,
 };
 
+enum perf_header_version {
+	PERF_HEADER_VERSION_1,
+	PERF_HEADER_VERSION_2,
+};
+
 struct perf_file_section {
 	u64 offset;
 	u64 size;
@@ -85,12 +90,13 @@ struct perf_session_env {
 };
 
 struct perf_header {
-	bool			needs_swap;
-	u64			data_offset;
-	u64			data_size;
-	u64			feat_offset;
+	enum perf_header_version	version;
+	bool				needs_swap;
+	u64				data_offset;
+	u64				data_size;
+	u64				feat_offset;
 	DECLARE_BITMAP(adds_features, HEADER_FEAT_BITS);
-	struct perf_session_env env;
+	struct perf_session_env 	env;
 };
 
 struct perf_evlist;