diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c b/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
index 653a8fe2db95..bfb186900ac0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
@@ -504,6 +504,7 @@ static int do_test_code_reading(bool try_kcore)
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			if (!excl_kernel) {
 				excl_kernel = true;
+				perf_evlist__set_maps(evlist, NULL, NULL);
 				perf_evlist__delete(evlist);
 				evlist = NULL;
 				continue;