diff --git a/tools/perf/util/synthetic-events.c b/tools/perf/util/synthetic-events.c
index 9ab9308ee80c..6def01036eb5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/synthetic-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/synthetic-events.c
@@ -2004,7 +2004,7 @@ int perf_event__synthesize_event_update_name(struct perf_tool *tool, struct evse
 					     perf_event__handler_t process)
 {
 	struct perf_record_event_update *ev;
-	size_t len = strlen(evsel->name);
+	size_t len = strlen(evsel__name(evsel));
 	int err;
 
 	ev = event_update_event__new(len + 1, PERF_EVENT_UPDATE__NAME, evsel->core.id[0]);