diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index c27e31f289e6..c95599a82f9e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -81,18 +81,17 @@ static int perf_session__add_hist_entry(struct perf_session *self,
 					struct addr_location *al,
 					struct sample_data *data)
 {
-	struct map_symbol *syms = NULL;
 	struct symbol *parent = NULL;
-	int err = -ENOMEM;
+	int err = 0;
 	struct hist_entry *he;
 	struct hists *hists;
 	struct perf_event_attr *attr;
 
 	if ((sort__has_parent || symbol_conf.use_callchain) && data->callchain) {
-		syms = perf_session__resolve_callchain(self, al->thread,
-						       data->callchain, &parent);
-		if (syms == NULL)
-			return -ENOMEM;
+		err = perf_session__resolve_callchain(self, al->thread,
+						      data->callchain, &parent);
+		if (err)
+			return err;
 	}
 
 	attr = perf_header__find_attr(data->id, &self->header);
@@ -101,16 +100,17 @@ static int perf_session__add_hist_entry(struct perf_session *self,
 	else
 		hists = perf_session__hists_findnew(self, data->id, 0, 0);
 	if (hists == NULL)
-		goto out_free_syms;
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	he = __hists__add_entry(hists, al, parent, data->period);
 	if (he == NULL)
-		goto out_free_syms;
-	err = 0;
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	if (symbol_conf.use_callchain) {
-		err = callchain_append(he->callchain, data->callchain, syms,
+		err = callchain_append(he->callchain, &self->callchain_cursor,
 				       data->period);
 		if (err)
-			goto out_free_syms;
+			return err;
 	}
 	/*
 	 * Only in the newt browser we are doing integrated annotation,
@@ -119,8 +119,7 @@ static int perf_session__add_hist_entry(struct perf_session *self,
 	 */
 	if (use_browser > 0)
 		err = hist_entry__inc_addr_samples(he, al->addr);
-out_free_syms:
-	free(syms);
+
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/callchain.c b/tools/perf/util/callchain.c
index e12d539417b2..53a49e0cfc6c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/callchain.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/callchain.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2009-2010, Frederic Weisbecker <fweisbec@gmail.com>
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2011, Frederic Weisbecker <fweisbec@gmail.com>
  *
  * Handle the callchains from the stream in an ad-hoc radix tree and then
  * sort them in an rbtree.
@@ -195,26 +195,21 @@ create_child(struct callchain_node *parent, bool inherit_children)
 }
 
 
-struct resolved_ip {
-	u64		  ip;
-	struct map_symbol ms;
-};
-
-struct resolved_chain {
-	u64			nr;
-	struct resolved_ip	ips[0];
-};
-
-
 /*
  * Fill the node with callchain values
  */
 static void
-fill_node(struct callchain_node *node, struct resolved_chain *chain, int start)
+fill_node(struct callchain_node *node, struct callchain_cursor *cursor)
 {
-	unsigned int i;
+	struct callchain_cursor_node *cursor_node;
 
-	for (i = start; i < chain->nr; i++) {
+	node->val_nr = cursor->nr - cursor->pos;
+	if (!node->val_nr)
+		pr_warning("Warning: empty node in callchain tree\n");
+
+	cursor_node = callchain_cursor_current(cursor);
+
+	while (cursor_node) {
 		struct callchain_list *call;
 
 		call = zalloc(sizeof(*call));
@@ -222,23 +217,25 @@ fill_node(struct callchain_node *node, struct resolved_chain *chain, int start)
 			perror("not enough memory for the code path tree");
 			return;
 		}
-		call->ip = chain->ips[i].ip;
-		call->ms = chain->ips[i].ms;
+		call->ip = cursor_node->ip;
+		call->ms.sym = cursor_node->sym;
+		call->ms.map = cursor_node->map;
 		list_add_tail(&call->list, &node->val);
+
+		callchain_cursor_advance(cursor);
+		cursor_node = callchain_cursor_current(cursor);
 	}
-	node->val_nr = chain->nr - start;
-	if (!node->val_nr)
-		pr_warning("Warning: empty node in callchain tree\n");
 }
 
 static void
-add_child(struct callchain_node *parent, struct resolved_chain *chain,
-	  int start, u64 period)
+add_child(struct callchain_node *parent,
+	  struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+	  u64 period)
 {
 	struct callchain_node *new;
 
 	new = create_child(parent, false);
-	fill_node(new, chain, start);
+	fill_node(new, cursor);
 
 	new->children_hit = 0;
 	new->hit = period;
@@ -250,9 +247,10 @@ add_child(struct callchain_node *parent, struct resolved_chain *chain,
  * Then create another child to host the given callchain of new branch
  */
 static void
-split_add_child(struct callchain_node *parent, struct resolved_chain *chain,
-		struct callchain_list *to_split, int idx_parents, int idx_local,
-		u64 period)
+split_add_child(struct callchain_node *parent,
+		struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		struct callchain_list *to_split,
+		u64 idx_parents, u64 idx_local, u64 period)
 {
 	struct callchain_node *new;
 	struct list_head *old_tail;
@@ -277,9 +275,9 @@ split_add_child(struct callchain_node *parent, struct resolved_chain *chain,
 	parent->val_nr = idx_local;
 
 	/* create a new child for the new branch if any */
-	if (idx_total < chain->nr) {
+	if (idx_total < cursor->nr) {
 		parent->hit = 0;
-		add_child(parent, chain, idx_total, period);
+		add_child(parent, cursor, period);
 		parent->children_hit += period;
 	} else {
 		parent->hit = period;
@@ -287,36 +285,41 @@ split_add_child(struct callchain_node *parent, struct resolved_chain *chain,
 }
 
 static int
-append_chain(struct callchain_node *root, struct resolved_chain *chain,
-	     unsigned int start, u64 period);
+append_chain(struct callchain_node *root,
+	     struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+	     u64 period);
 
 static void
-append_chain_children(struct callchain_node *root, struct resolved_chain *chain,
-		      unsigned int start, u64 period)
+append_chain_children(struct callchain_node *root,
+		      struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		      u64 period)
 {
 	struct callchain_node *rnode;
 
 	/* lookup in childrens */
 	chain_for_each_child(rnode, root) {
-		unsigned int ret = append_chain(rnode, chain, start, period);
+		unsigned int ret = append_chain(rnode, cursor, period);
 
 		if (!ret)
 			goto inc_children_hit;
 	}
 	/* nothing in children, add to the current node */
-	add_child(root, chain, start, period);
+	add_child(root, cursor, period);
 
 inc_children_hit:
 	root->children_hit += period;
 }
 
 static int
-append_chain(struct callchain_node *root, struct resolved_chain *chain,
-	     unsigned int start, u64 period)
+append_chain(struct callchain_node *root,
+	     struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+	     u64 period)
 {
+	struct callchain_cursor_node *curr_snap = cursor->curr;
 	struct callchain_list *cnode;
-	unsigned int i = start;
+	u64 start = cursor->pos;
 	bool found = false;
+	u64 matches;
 
 	/*
 	 * Lookup in the current node
@@ -324,114 +327,95 @@ append_chain(struct callchain_node *root, struct resolved_chain *chain,
 	 * anywhere inside a function.
 	 */
 	list_for_each_entry(cnode, &root->val, list) {
+		struct callchain_cursor_node *node;
 		struct symbol *sym;
 
-		if (i == chain->nr)
+		node = callchain_cursor_current(cursor);
+		if (!node)
 			break;
 
-		sym = chain->ips[i].ms.sym;
+		sym = node->sym;
 
 		if (cnode->ms.sym && sym) {
 			if (cnode->ms.sym->start != sym->start)
 				break;
-		} else if (cnode->ip != chain->ips[i].ip)
+		} else if (cnode->ip != node->ip)
 			break;
 
 		if (!found)
 			found = true;
-		i++;
+
+		callchain_cursor_advance(cursor);
 	}
 
 	/* matches not, relay on the parent */
-	if (!found)
+	if (!found) {
+		cursor->curr = curr_snap;
+		cursor->pos = start;
 		return -1;
+	}
+
+	matches = cursor->pos - start;
 
 	/* we match only a part of the node. Split it and add the new chain */
-	if (i - start < root->val_nr) {
-		split_add_child(root, chain, cnode, start, i - start, period);
+	if (matches < root->val_nr) {
+		split_add_child(root, cursor, cnode, start, matches, period);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	/* we match 100% of the path, increment the hit */
-	if (i - start == root->val_nr && i == chain->nr) {
+	if (matches == root->val_nr && cursor->pos == cursor->nr) {
 		root->hit += period;
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	/* We match the node and still have a part remaining */
-	append_chain_children(root, chain, i, period);
+	append_chain_children(root, cursor, period);
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void filter_context(struct ip_callchain *old, struct resolved_chain *new,
-			   struct map_symbol *syms)
+int callchain_append(struct callchain_root *root,
+		     struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		     u64 period)
 {
-	int i, j = 0;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < (int)old->nr; i++) {
-		if (old->ips[i] >= PERF_CONTEXT_MAX)
-			continue;
-
-		new->ips[j].ip = old->ips[i];
-		new->ips[j].ms = syms[i];
-		j++;
-	}
-
-	new->nr = j;
-}
-
-
-int callchain_append(struct callchain_root *root, struct ip_callchain *chain,
-		     struct map_symbol *syms, u64 period)
-{
-	struct resolved_chain *filtered;
-
-	if (!chain->nr)
+	if (!cursor->nr)
 		return 0;
 
-	filtered = zalloc(sizeof(*filtered) +
-			  chain->nr * sizeof(struct resolved_ip));
-	if (!filtered)
-		return -ENOMEM;
+	callchain_cursor_commit(cursor);
 
-	filter_context(chain, filtered, syms);
+	append_chain_children(&root->node, cursor, period);
 
-	if (!filtered->nr)
-		goto end;
-
-	append_chain_children(&root->node, filtered, 0, period);
-
-	if (filtered->nr > root->max_depth)
-		root->max_depth = filtered->nr;
-end:
-	free(filtered);
+	if (cursor->nr > root->max_depth)
+		root->max_depth = cursor->nr;
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
-merge_chain_branch(struct callchain_node *dst, struct callchain_node *src,
-		   struct resolved_chain *chain)
+merge_chain_branch(struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		   struct callchain_node *dst, struct callchain_node *src)
 {
+	struct callchain_cursor_node **old_last = cursor->last;
 	struct callchain_node *child, *next_child;
 	struct callchain_list *list, *next_list;
-	int old_pos = chain->nr;
+	int old_pos = cursor->nr;
 	int err = 0;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(list, next_list, &src->val, list) {
-		chain->ips[chain->nr].ip = list->ip;
-		chain->ips[chain->nr].ms = list->ms;
-		chain->nr++;
+		callchain_cursor_append(cursor, list->ip,
+					list->ms.map, list->ms.sym);
 		list_del(&list->list);
 		free(list);
 	}
 
-	if (src->hit)
-		append_chain_children(dst, chain, 0, src->hit);
+	if (src->hit) {
+		callchain_cursor_commit(cursor);
+		append_chain_children(dst, cursor, src->hit);
+	}
 
 	chain_for_each_child_safe(child, next_child, src) {
-		err = merge_chain_branch(dst, child, chain);
+		err = merge_chain_branch(cursor, dst, child);
 		if (err)
 			break;
 
@@ -439,26 +423,38 @@ merge_chain_branch(struct callchain_node *dst, struct callchain_node *src,
 		free(child);
 	}
 
-	chain->nr = old_pos;
+	cursor->nr = old_pos;
+	cursor->last = old_last;
 
 	return err;
 }
 
-int callchain_merge(struct callchain_root *dst, struct callchain_root *src)
+int callchain_merge(struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		    struct callchain_root *dst, struct callchain_root *src)
 {
-	struct resolved_chain *chain;
-	int err;
-
-	chain = malloc(sizeof(*chain) +
-		       src->max_depth * sizeof(struct resolved_ip));
-	if (!chain)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
-	chain->nr = 0;
-
-	err = merge_chain_branch(&dst->node, &src->node, chain);
-
-	free(chain);
-
-	return err;
+	return merge_chain_branch(cursor, &dst->node, &src->node);
+}
+
+int callchain_cursor_append(struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+			    u64 ip, struct map *map, struct symbol *sym)
+{
+	struct callchain_cursor_node *node = *cursor->last;
+
+	if (!node) {
+		node = calloc(sizeof(*node), 1);
+		if (!node)
+			return -ENOMEM;
+
+		*cursor->last = node;
+	}
+
+	node->ip = ip;
+	node->map = map;
+	node->sym = sym;
+
+	cursor->nr++;
+
+	cursor->last = &node->next;
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/callchain.h b/tools/perf/util/callchain.h
index c15fb8c24ad2..d74a19af4a44 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/callchain.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/callchain.h
@@ -49,6 +49,27 @@ struct callchain_list {
 	struct list_head	list;
 };
 
+/*
+ * A callchain cursor is a single linked list that
+ * let one feed a callchain progressively.
+ * It keeps persitent allocated entries to minimize
+ * allocations.
+ */
+struct callchain_cursor_node {
+	u64				ip;
+	struct map			*map;
+	struct symbol			*sym;
+	struct callchain_cursor_node	*next;
+};
+
+struct callchain_cursor {
+	u64				nr;
+	struct callchain_cursor_node	*first;
+	struct callchain_cursor_node	**last;
+	u64				pos;
+	struct callchain_cursor_node	*curr;
+};
+
 static inline void callchain_init(struct callchain_root *root)
 {
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&root->node.brothers);
@@ -67,9 +88,48 @@ static inline u64 cumul_hits(struct callchain_node *node)
 }
 
 int register_callchain_param(struct callchain_param *param);
-int callchain_append(struct callchain_root *root, struct ip_callchain *chain,
-		     struct map_symbol *syms, u64 period);
-int callchain_merge(struct callchain_root *dst, struct callchain_root *src);
+int callchain_append(struct callchain_root *root,
+		     struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		     u64 period);
+
+int callchain_merge(struct callchain_cursor *cursor,
+		    struct callchain_root *dst, struct callchain_root *src);
 
 bool ip_callchain__valid(struct ip_callchain *chain, const event_t *event);
+
+/*
+ * Initialize a cursor before adding entries inside, but keep
+ * the previously allocated entries as a cache.
+ */
+static inline void callchain_cursor_reset(struct callchain_cursor *cursor)
+{
+	cursor->nr = 0;
+	cursor->last = &cursor->first;
+}
+
+int callchain_cursor_append(struct callchain_cursor *cursor, u64 ip,
+			    struct map *map, struct symbol *sym);
+
+/* Close a cursor writing session. Initialize for the reader */
+static inline void callchain_cursor_commit(struct callchain_cursor *cursor)
+{
+	cursor->curr = cursor->first;
+	cursor->pos = 0;
+}
+
+/* Cursor reading iteration helpers */
+static inline struct callchain_cursor_node *
+callchain_cursor_current(struct callchain_cursor *cursor)
+{
+	if (cursor->pos == cursor->nr)
+		return NULL;
+
+	return cursor->curr;
+}
+
+static inline void callchain_cursor_advance(struct callchain_cursor *cursor)
+{
+	cursor->curr = cursor->curr->next;
+	cursor->pos++;
+}
 #endif	/* __PERF_CALLCHAIN_H */
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.c b/tools/perf/util/hist.c
index 32f4f1f2f6e4..a438a0652d23 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.c
@@ -211,7 +211,9 @@ void hist_entry__free(struct hist_entry *he)
  * collapse the histogram
  */
 
-static bool collapse__insert_entry(struct rb_root *root, struct hist_entry *he)
+static bool hists__collapse_insert_entry(struct hists *self,
+					 struct rb_root *root,
+					 struct hist_entry *he)
 {
 	struct rb_node **p = &root->rb_node;
 	struct rb_node *parent = NULL;
@@ -226,8 +228,11 @@ static bool collapse__insert_entry(struct rb_root *root, struct hist_entry *he)
 
 		if (!cmp) {
 			iter->period += he->period;
-			if (symbol_conf.use_callchain)
-				callchain_merge(iter->callchain, he->callchain);
+			if (symbol_conf.use_callchain) {
+				callchain_cursor_reset(&self->callchain_cursor);
+				callchain_merge(&self->callchain_cursor, iter->callchain,
+						he->callchain);
+			}
 			hist_entry__free(he);
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -262,7 +267,7 @@ void hists__collapse_resort(struct hists *self)
 		next = rb_next(&n->rb_node);
 
 		rb_erase(&n->rb_node, &self->entries);
-		if (collapse__insert_entry(&tmp, n))
+		if (hists__collapse_insert_entry(self, &tmp, n))
 			hists__inc_nr_entries(self, n);
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.h b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
index ee789856a8c9..889559b86492 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ struct hists {
 	u64			event_stream;
 	u32			type;
 	u16			col_len[HISTC_NR_COLS];
+	/* Best would be to reuse the session callchain cursor */
+	struct callchain_cursor	callchain_cursor;
 };
 
 struct hist_entry *__hists__add_entry(struct hists *self,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.c b/tools/perf/util/session.c
index 105f00bfd555..b58a48a5e5a9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.c
@@ -242,17 +242,16 @@ static bool symbol__match_parent_regex(struct symbol *sym)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-struct map_symbol *perf_session__resolve_callchain(struct perf_session *self,
-						   struct thread *thread,
-						   struct ip_callchain *chain,
-						   struct symbol **parent)
+int perf_session__resolve_callchain(struct perf_session *self,
+				    struct thread *thread,
+				    struct ip_callchain *chain,
+				    struct symbol **parent)
 {
 	u8 cpumode = PERF_RECORD_MISC_USER;
 	unsigned int i;
-	struct map_symbol *syms = calloc(chain->nr, sizeof(*syms));
+	int err;
 
-	if (!syms)
-		return NULL;
+	callchain_cursor_reset(&self->callchain_cursor);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < chain->nr; i++) {
 		u64 ip = chain->ips[i];
@@ -281,12 +280,15 @@ struct map_symbol *perf_session__resolve_callchain(struct perf_session *self,
 				*parent = al.sym;
 			if (!symbol_conf.use_callchain)
 				break;
-			syms[i].map = al.map;
-			syms[i].sym = al.sym;
 		}
+
+		err = callchain_cursor_append(&self->callchain_cursor,
+					      ip, al.map, al.sym);
+		if (err)
+			return err;
 	}
 
-	return syms;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int process_event_synth_stub(event_t *event __used,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.h b/tools/perf/util/session.h
index decd83f274fd..e815468eb888 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.h
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ struct perf_session {
 	int			cwdlen;
 	char			*cwd;
 	struct ordered_samples	ordered_samples;
-	char filename[0];
+	struct callchain_cursor	callchain_cursor;
+	char			filename[0];
 };
 
 struct perf_event_ops;
@@ -94,10 +95,10 @@ int __perf_session__process_events(struct perf_session *self,
 int perf_session__process_events(struct perf_session *self,
 				 struct perf_event_ops *event_ops);
 
-struct map_symbol *perf_session__resolve_callchain(struct perf_session *self,
-						   struct thread *thread,
-						   struct ip_callchain *chain,
-						   struct symbol **parent);
+int perf_session__resolve_callchain(struct perf_session *self,
+				    struct thread *thread,
+				    struct ip_callchain *chain,
+				    struct symbol **parent);
 
 bool perf_session__has_traces(struct perf_session *self, const char *msg);