diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol-minimal.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol-minimal.c
index 8221dc9868f7..091071d06416 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol-minimal.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol-minimal.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include "debug.h"
 #include "dso.h"
 #include "symbol.h"
 #include "symsrc.h"
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ static int read_build_id(void *note_data, size_t note_len, struct build_id *bid,
 	ptr = note_data;
 	while ((ptr + sizeof(*nhdr)) < (note_data + note_len)) {
 		const char *name;
-		size_t namesz, descsz;
+		size_t namesz, descsz, remaining;
 
 		nhdr = ptr;
 		if (need_swap) {
@@ -56,6 +57,14 @@ static int read_build_id(void *note_data, size_t note_len, struct build_id *bid,
 		namesz = NOTE_ALIGN(nhdr->n_namesz);
 		descsz = NOTE_ALIGN(nhdr->n_descsz);
 
+		/* validate individually to avoid size_t overflow on 32-bit */
+		remaining = note_data + note_len - ptr - sizeof(*nhdr);
+		if (namesz > remaining || descsz > remaining - namesz) {
+			pr_warning("%s: oversized note: n_namesz=%u, n_descsz=%u\n",
+				   __func__, nhdr->n_namesz, nhdr->n_descsz);
+			break;
+		}
+
 		ptr += sizeof(*nhdr);
 		name = ptr;
 		ptr += namesz;