diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index 66d2dafc8be9..b9f6cb71c0a0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -2149,6 +2149,8 @@ int cmd_kvm(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (!argc)
 		usage_with_options(kvm_usage, kvm_options);
 
+	thread__set_priv_destructor(free);
+
 	if (!perf_host)
 		perf_guest = 1;