diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
index 7f3c3fea67b4..67f9d9ffacfb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static int __cmd_annotate(struct perf_annotate *ann)
 	}
 
 	if (total_nr_samples == 0) {
-		ui__error("The %s file has no samples!\n", session->data->file.path);
+		ui__error("The %s data has no samples!\n", session->data->path);
 		goto out;
 	}
 
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ int cmd_annotate(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (quiet)
 		perf_quiet_option();
 
-	data.file.path = input_name;
+	data.path = input_name;
 
 	annotate.session = perf_session__new(&data, false, &annotate.tool);
 	if (annotate.session == NULL)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
index 115110a4796a..10457b10e568 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
@@ -416,8 +416,8 @@ int cmd_buildid_cache(int argc, const char **argv)
 		nsi = nsinfo__new(ns_id);
 
 	if (missing_filename) {
-		data.file.path = missing_filename;
-		data.force     = force;
+		data.path  = missing_filename;
+		data.force = force;
 
 		session = perf_session__new(&data, false, NULL);
 		if (session == NULL)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c
index 78abbe8d9d5f..f403e19488b5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-list.c
@@ -52,11 +52,9 @@ static int perf_session__list_build_ids(bool force, bool with_hits)
 {
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = force,
 	};
 
 	symbol__elf_init();
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-c2c.c b/tools/perf/builtin-c2c.c
index efaaab23c6fd..4272763a5e96 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-c2c.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-c2c.c
@@ -2750,8 +2750,8 @@ static int perf_c2c__report(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (!input_name || !strlen(input_name))
 		input_name = "perf.data";
 
-	data.file.path = input_name;
-	data.force     = symbol_conf.force;
+	data.path  = input_name;
+	data.force = symbol_conf.force;
 
 	err = setup_display(display);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-diff.c b/tools/perf/builtin-diff.c
index 751e1971456b..58fe0e88215c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-diff.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-diff.c
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ static void data__fprintf(void)
 
 	data__for_each_file(i, d)
 		fprintf(stdout, "#  [%d] %s %s\n",
-			d->idx, d->data.file.path,
+			d->idx, d->data.path,
 			!d->idx ? "(Baseline)" : "");
 
 	fprintf(stdout, "#\n");
@@ -779,14 +779,14 @@ static int __cmd_diff(void)
 	data__for_each_file(i, d) {
 		d->session = perf_session__new(&d->data, false, &tool);
 		if (!d->session) {
-			pr_err("Failed to open %s\n", d->data.file.path);
+			pr_err("Failed to open %s\n", d->data.path);
 			ret = -1;
 			goto out_delete;
 		}
 
 		ret = perf_session__process_events(d->session);
 		if (ret) {
-			pr_err("Failed to process %s\n", d->data.file.path);
+			pr_err("Failed to process %s\n", d->data.path);
 			goto out_delete;
 		}
 
@@ -1289,9 +1289,9 @@ static int data_init(int argc, const char **argv)
 	data__for_each_file(i, d) {
 		struct perf_data *data = &d->data;
 
-		data->file.path = use_default ? defaults[i] : argv[i];
-		data->mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		data->force     = force,
+		data->path  = use_default ? defaults[i] : argv[i];
+		data->mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		data->force = force,
 
 		d->idx  = i;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c b/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c
index e06e822ce634..6e4f63b0da4a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ static int __cmd_evlist(const char *file_name, struct perf_attr_details *details
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_evsel *pos;
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = file_name,
-		},
+		.path      = file_name,
 		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
 		.force     = details->force,
 	};
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
index 9bb1f35d5cb7..24086b7f1b14 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
@@ -770,10 +770,8 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)
 		.input_name  = "-",
 		.samples = LIST_HEAD_INIT(inject.samples),
 		.output = {
-			.file      = {
-				.path = "-",
-			},
-			.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_WRITE,
+			.path = "-",
+			.mode = PERF_DATA_MODE_WRITE,
 		},
 	};
 	struct perf_data data = {
@@ -786,7 +784,7 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)
 			    "Inject build-ids into the output stream"),
 		OPT_STRING('i', "input", &inject.input_name, "file",
 			   "input file name"),
-		OPT_STRING('o', "output", &inject.output.file.path, "file",
+		OPT_STRING('o', "output", &inject.output.path, "file",
 			   "output file name"),
 		OPT_BOOLEAN('s', "sched-stat", &inject.sched_stat,
 			    "Merge sched-stat and sched-switch for getting events "
@@ -834,7 +832,7 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	inject.tool.ordered_events = inject.sched_stat;
 
-	data.file.path = inject.input_name;
+	data.path = inject.input_name;
 	inject.session = perf_session__new(&data, true, &inject.tool);
 	if (inject.session == NULL)
 		return -1;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c
index b80ec0883537..fa520f4b8095 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c
@@ -1949,7 +1949,7 @@ int cmd_kmem(int argc, const char **argv)
 		return __cmd_record(argc, argv);
 	}
 
-	data.file.path = input_name;
+	data.path = input_name;
 
 	kmem_session = session = perf_session__new(&data, false, &perf_kmem);
 	if (session == NULL)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index 3d4cbc4e87c7..dbb6f737a3e2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -1080,11 +1080,9 @@ static int read_events(struct perf_kvm_stat *kvm)
 		.ordered_events		= true,
 	};
 	struct perf_data file = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = kvm->file_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = kvm->force,
+		.path  = kvm->file_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = kvm->force,
 	};
 
 	kvm->tool = eops;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c b/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
index 6e0189df2b3b..b9810a8d350a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
@@ -866,11 +866,9 @@ static int __cmd_report(bool display_info)
 		.ordered_events	 = true,
 	};
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = force,
 	};
 
 	session = perf_session__new(&data, false, &eops);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c b/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
index ba7e8d87dec3..f45c8b502f63 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
@@ -239,11 +239,9 @@ static int process_sample_event(struct perf_tool *tool,
 static int report_raw_events(struct perf_mem *mem)
 {
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = mem->force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = mem->force,
 	};
 	int ret;
 	struct perf_session *session = perf_session__new(&data, false,
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index e5e9900c9039..f3f7f3100336 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -918,7 +918,7 @@ record__switch_output(struct record *rec, bool at_exit)
 
 	if (!quiet)
 		fprintf(stderr, "[ perf record: Dump %s.%s ]\n",
-			data->file.path, timestamp);
+			data->path, timestamp);
 
 	/* Output tracking events */
 	if (!at_exit) {
@@ -1461,7 +1461,7 @@ static int __cmd_record(struct record *rec, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 		fprintf(stderr,	"[ perf record: Captured and wrote %.3f MB %s%s%s ]\n",
 			perf_data__size(data) / 1024.0 / 1024.0,
-			data->file.path, postfix, samples);
+			data->path, postfix, samples);
 	}
 
 out_delete_session:
@@ -1862,7 +1862,7 @@ static struct option __record_options[] = {
 	OPT_STRING('C', "cpu", &record.opts.target.cpu_list, "cpu",
 		    "list of cpus to monitor"),
 	OPT_U64('c', "count", &record.opts.user_interval, "event period to sample"),
-	OPT_STRING('o', "output", &record.data.file.path, "file",
+	OPT_STRING('o', "output", &record.data.path, "file",
 		    "output file name"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN_SET('i', "no-inherit", &record.opts.no_inherit,
 			&record.opts.no_inherit_set,
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 2e8c74d6430c..1532ebde6c4b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ static int __cmd_report(struct report *rep)
 		rep->nr_entries += evsel__hists(pos)->nr_entries;
 
 	if (rep->nr_entries == 0) {
-		ui__error("The %s file has no samples!\n", data->file.path);
+		ui__error("The %s data has no samples!\n", data->path);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -1207,8 +1207,8 @@ int cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv)
 			input_name = "perf.data";
 	}
 
-	data.file.path = input_name;
-	data.force     = symbol_conf.force;
+	data.path  = input_name;
+	data.force = symbol_conf.force;
 
 repeat:
 	session = perf_session__new(&data, false, &report.tool);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
index 640558e9352e..275f2d92a7bf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
@@ -1785,11 +1785,9 @@ static int perf_sched__read_events(struct perf_sched *sched)
 	};
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = sched->force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = sched->force,
 	};
 	int rc = -1;
 
@@ -2958,11 +2956,9 @@ static int perf_sched__timehist(struct perf_sched *sched)
 		{ "sched:sched_migrate_task", timehist_migrate_task_event, },
 	};
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = sched->force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = sched->force,
 	};
 
 	struct perf_session *session;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
index 373ea151dc60..5b1543f42290 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
@@ -2951,10 +2951,8 @@ int find_scripts(char **scripts_array, char **scripts_path_array)
 	DIR *scripts_dir, *lang_dir;
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.path = input_name,
+		.mode = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
 	};
 	char *temp;
 	int i = 0;
@@ -3427,8 +3425,8 @@ int cmd_script(int argc, const char **argv)
 	argc = parse_options_subcommand(argc, argv, options, script_subcommands, script_usage,
 			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
 
-	data.file.path = input_name;
-	data.force     = symbol_conf.force;
+	data.path  = input_name;
+	data.force = symbol_conf.force;
 
 	if (argc > 1 && !strncmp(argv[0], "rec", strlen("rec"))) {
 		rec_script_path = get_script_path(argv[1], RECORD_SUFFIX);
@@ -3654,7 +3652,7 @@ int cmd_script(int argc, const char **argv)
 			goto out_delete;
 		}
 
-		input = open(data.file.path, O_RDONLY);	/* input_name */
+		input = open(data.path, O_RDONLY);	/* input_name */
 		if (input < 0) {
 			err = -errno;
 			perror("failed to open file");
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index bb24f9c17f9a..7b8f09b0b8bf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -1322,7 +1322,7 @@ static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
 
 	if (output_name)
-		data->file.path = output_name;
+		data->path = output_name;
 
 	if (stat_config.run_count != 1 || forever) {
 		pr_err("Cannot use -r option with perf stat record.\n");
@@ -1523,8 +1523,8 @@ static int __cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv)
 			input_name = "perf.data";
 	}
 
-	perf_stat.data.file.path = input_name;
-	perf_stat.data.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ;
+	perf_stat.data.path = input_name;
+	perf_stat.data.mode = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ;
 
 	session = perf_session__new(&perf_stat.data, false, &perf_stat.tool);
 	if (session == NULL)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c b/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c
index 775b99833e51..9b98687a27b9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c
@@ -1602,11 +1602,9 @@ static int __cmd_timechart(struct timechart *tchart, const char *output_name)
 		{ "syscalls:sys_exit_select",		process_exit_poll },
 	};
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = tchart->force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = tchart->force,
 	};
 
 	struct perf_session *session = perf_session__new(&data, false,
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 1a11fe656afc..f5b3a1e9c1dd 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -3154,11 +3154,9 @@ static int trace__replay(struct trace *trace)
 		{ "probe:vfs_getname",	     trace__vfs_getname, },
 	};
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = {
-			.path = input_name,
-		},
-		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
-		.force     = trace->force,
+		.path  = input_name,
+		.mode  = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
+		.force = trace->force,
 	};
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c b/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c
index 2a36fab76994..26af43ad9ddd 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/data-convert-bt.c
@@ -1578,7 +1578,7 @@ int bt_convert__perf2ctf(const char *input, const char *path,
 {
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_data data = {
-		.file      = { .path = input, .fd = -1 },
+		.path	   = input,
 		.mode      = PERF_DATA_MODE_READ,
 		.force     = opts->force,
 	};
@@ -1650,7 +1650,7 @@ int bt_convert__perf2ctf(const char *input, const char *path,
 
 	fprintf(stderr,
 		"[ perf data convert: Converted '%s' into CTF data '%s' ]\n",
-		data.file.path, path);
+		data.path, path);
 
 	fprintf(stderr,
 		"[ perf data convert: Converted and wrote %.3f MB (%" PRIu64 " samples",
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/data.c b/tools/perf/util/data.c
index 09eceda17fc2..e16d06ed1100 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/data.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/data.c
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ static bool check_pipe(struct perf_data *data)
 	int fd = perf_data__is_read(data) ?
 		 STDIN_FILENO : STDOUT_FILENO;
 
-	if (!data->file.path) {
+	if (!data->path) {
 		if (!fstat(fd, &st) && S_ISFIFO(st.st_mode))
 			is_pipe = true;
 	} else {
-		if (!strcmp(data->file.path, "-"))
+		if (!strcmp(data->path, "-"))
 			is_pipe = true;
 	}
 
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ static int check_backup(struct perf_data *data)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 
-	if (!stat(data->file.path, &st) && st.st_size) {
+	if (!stat(data->path, &st) && st.st_size) {
 		/* TODO check errors properly */
 		char oldname[PATH_MAX];
 		snprintf(oldname, sizeof(oldname), "%s.old",
-			 data->file.path);
+			 data->path);
 		unlink(oldname);
-		rename(data->file.path, oldname);
+		rename(data->path, oldname);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -115,8 +115,22 @@ static int open_file(struct perf_data *data)
 	fd = perf_data__is_read(data) ?
 	     open_file_read(data) : open_file_write(data);
 
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		free(data->file.path);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	data->file.fd = fd;
-	return fd < 0 ? -1 : 0;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int open_file_dup(struct perf_data *data)
+{
+	data->file.path = strdup(data->path);
+	if (!data->file.path)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	return open_file(data);
 }
 
 int perf_data__open(struct perf_data *data)
@@ -124,14 +138,15 @@ int perf_data__open(struct perf_data *data)
 	if (check_pipe(data))
 		return 0;
 
-	if (!data->file.path)
-		data->file.path = "perf.data";
+	if (!data->path)
+		data->path = "perf.data";
 
-	return open_file(data);
+	return open_file_dup(data);
 }
 
 void perf_data__close(struct perf_data *data)
 {
+	free(data->file.path);
 	close(data->file.fd);
 }
 
@@ -159,15 +174,15 @@ int perf_data__switch(struct perf_data *data,
 	if (perf_data__is_read(data))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	if (asprintf(&new_filepath, "%s.%s", data->file.path, postfix) < 0)
+	if (asprintf(&new_filepath, "%s.%s", data->path, postfix) < 0)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	/*
 	 * Only fire a warning, don't return error, continue fill
 	 * original file.
 	 */
-	if (rename(data->file.path, new_filepath))
-		pr_warning("Failed to rename %s to %s\n", data->file.path, new_filepath);
+	if (rename(data->path, new_filepath))
+		pr_warning("Failed to rename %s to %s\n", data->path, new_filepath);
 
 	if (!at_exit) {
 		close(data->file.fd);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/data.h b/tools/perf/util/data.h
index 85f9c0dbf982..2bce28117ccf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/data.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/data.h
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ enum perf_data_mode {
 };
 
 struct perf_data_file {
-	const char	*path;
+	char		*path;
 	int		 fd;
 	unsigned long	 size;
 };
 
 struct perf_data {
+	const char		*path;
 	struct perf_data_file	 file;
 	bool			 is_pipe;
 	bool			 force;