diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index b16c75bf5580..bc4a5e3c6c21 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1386,32 +1386,18 @@ static bool config_term_percore(struct list_head *config_terms)
 }
 
 static int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
-			 struct list_head *list, const char *name,
-			 const struct parse_events_terms *const_parsed_terms,
-			 bool auto_merge_stats, void *loc_)
+				struct list_head *list, struct perf_pmu *pmu,
+				const struct parse_events_terms *const_parsed_terms,
+				bool auto_merge_stats)
 {
 	struct perf_event_attr attr;
 	struct perf_pmu_info info;
-	struct perf_pmu *pmu;
 	struct evsel *evsel;
 	struct parse_events_error *err = parse_state->error;
-	YYLTYPE *loc = loc_;
 	LIST_HEAD(config_terms);
 	struct parse_events_terms parsed_terms;
 	bool alias_rewrote_terms = false;
 
-	pmu = parse_state->fake_pmu ?: perf_pmus__find(name);
-
-	if (!pmu) {
-		char *err_str;
-
-		if (asprintf(&err_str,
-				"Cannot find PMU `%s'. Missing kernel support?",
-				name) >= 0)
-			parse_events_error__handle(err, loc->first_column, err_str, NULL);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	parse_events_terms__init(&parsed_terms);
 	if (const_parsed_terms) {
 		int ret = parse_events_terms__copy(const_parsed_terms, &parsed_terms);
@@ -1425,9 +1411,9 @@ static int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 
 		strbuf_init(&sb, /*hint=*/ 0);
 		if (pmu->selectable && list_empty(&parsed_terms.terms)) {
-			strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s//", name);
+			strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s//", pmu->name);
 		} else {
-			strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/", name);
+			strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/", pmu->name);
 			parse_events_terms__to_strbuf(&parsed_terms, &sb);
 			strbuf_addch(&sb, '/');
 		}
@@ -1469,7 +1455,7 @@ static int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 
 		strbuf_init(&sb, /*hint=*/ 0);
 		parse_events_terms__to_strbuf(&parsed_terms, &sb);
-		fprintf(stderr, "..after resolving event: %s/%s/\n", name, sb.buf);
+		fprintf(stderr, "..after resolving event: %s/%s/\n", pmu->name, sb.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
 
@@ -1583,8 +1569,8 @@ int parse_events_multi_pmu_add(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 			continue;
 
 		auto_merge_stats = perf_pmu__auto_merge_stats(pmu);
-		if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, list, pmu->name,
-					  &parsed_terms, auto_merge_stats, loc)) {
+		if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, list, pmu,
+					  &parsed_terms, auto_merge_stats)) {
 			struct strbuf sb;
 
 			strbuf_init(&sb, /*hint=*/ 0);
@@ -1596,8 +1582,8 @@ int parse_events_multi_pmu_add(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 	}
 
 	if (parse_state->fake_pmu) {
-		if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, list, event_name, &parsed_terms,
-					  /*auto_merge_stats=*/true, loc)) {
+		if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, list, parse_state->fake_pmu, &parsed_terms,
+					  /*auto_merge_stats=*/true)) {
 			struct strbuf sb;
 
 			strbuf_init(&sb, /*hint=*/ 0);
@@ -1626,7 +1612,7 @@ int parse_events_multi_pmu_add_or_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state
 {
 	char *pattern = NULL;
 	YYLTYPE *loc = loc_;
-	struct perf_pmu *pmu = NULL;
+	struct perf_pmu *pmu;
 	int ok = 0;
 	char *help;
 
@@ -1637,10 +1623,12 @@ int parse_events_multi_pmu_add_or_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(*listp);
 
 	/* Attempt to add to list assuming event_or_pmu is a PMU name. */
-	if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, *listp, event_or_pmu, const_parsed_terms,
-					/*auto_merge_stats=*/false, loc))
+	pmu = parse_state->fake_pmu ?: perf_pmus__find(event_or_pmu);
+	if (pmu && !parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, *listp, pmu, const_parsed_terms,
+					/*auto_merge_stats=*/false))
 		return 0;
 
+	pmu = NULL;
 	/* Failed to add, try wildcard expansion of event_or_pmu as a PMU name. */
 	if (asprintf(&pattern, "%s*", event_or_pmu) < 0) {
 		zfree(listp);
@@ -1660,8 +1648,8 @@ int parse_events_multi_pmu_add_or_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state
 		    !perf_pmu__match(pattern, pmu->alias_name, event_or_pmu)) {
 			bool auto_merge_stats = perf_pmu__auto_merge_stats(pmu);
 
-			if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, *listp, pmu->name, const_parsed_terms,
-						  auto_merge_stats, loc)) {
+			if (!parse_events_add_pmu(parse_state, *listp, pmu, const_parsed_terms,
+						  auto_merge_stats)) {
 				ok++;
 				parse_state->wild_card_pmus = true;
 			}
