diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c b/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
index f1fa7b8d1f69..88aeac9aa1da 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static int parse_record_events(const struct option *opt,
 		fprintf(stderr, "%-13s%-*s%s\n",
 			e->tag,
 			verbose ? 25 : 0,
-			verbose ? e->name : "",
+			verbose ? perf_mem_events__name(j) : "",
 			e->supported ? ": available" : "");
 	}
 	exit(0);
@@ -95,12 +95,12 @@ static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv, struct perf_mem *mem)
 
 		if (!perf_mem_events[j].supported) {
 			pr_err("failed: event '%s' not supported\n",
-			       perf_mem_events[j].name);
+			       perf_mem_events__name(j));
 			return -1;
 		}
 
 		rec_argv[i++] = "-e";
-		rec_argv[i++] = perf_mem_events[j].name;
+		rec_argv[i++] = perf_mem_events__name(j);
 	};
 
 	for (j = 0; j < argc; j++, i++)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/mem-events.c b/tools/perf/util/mem-events.c
index e21853fe1312..2330db510976 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/mem-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/mem-events.c
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ struct perf_mem_event perf_mem_events[PERF_MEM_EVENTS__MAX] = {
 
 #undef E
 
+char *perf_mem_events__name(int i)
+{
+	return (char *)perf_mem_events[i].name;
+}
+
 int perf_mem_events__parse(const char *str)
 {
 	char *tok, *saveptr = NULL;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/mem-events.h b/tools/perf/util/mem-events.h
index 75c1660bda62..2a91b959de62 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/mem-events.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/mem-events.h
@@ -22,4 +22,5 @@ extern struct perf_mem_event perf_mem_events[PERF_MEM_EVENTS__MAX];
 int perf_mem_events__parse(const char *str);
 int perf_mem_events__init(void);
 
+char *perf_mem_events__name(int i);
 #endif /* __PERF_MEM_EVENTS_H */