diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 10db1e5f1e6c..60d1f166629e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -726,8 +726,11 @@ static int report__collapse_hists(struct report *rep)
 	evlist__for_each_entry(rep->session->evlist, pos) {
 		struct hists *hists = evsel__hists(pos);
 
-		if (pos->core.idx == 0)
-			hists->symbol_filter_str = rep->symbol_filter_str;
+		if (pos->core.idx == 0) {
+			hists->symbol_filter_str =
+				rep->symbol_filter_str ?
+				strdup(rep->symbol_filter_str) : NULL;
+		}
 
 		hists->socket_filter = rep->socket_filter;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
index b6002724bc3a..be8a6b169722 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
@@ -3220,7 +3220,10 @@ static int evsel__hists_browse(struct evsel *evsel, int nr_events, const char *h
 					"To remove the filter later, press / + ENTER.",
 					buf, "ENTER: OK, ESC: Cancel",
 					delay_secs * 2) == K_ENTER) {
-				hists->symbol_filter_str = *buf ? buf : NULL;
+				char *new_filter = *buf ? strdup(buf) : NULL;
+
+				zfree(&hists->symbol_filter_str);
+				hists->symbol_filter_str = new_filter;
 				hists__filter_by_symbol(hists);
 				hist_browser__reset(browser);
 			}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.c b/tools/perf/util/hist.c
index c93915625ee7..443694926f1a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.c
@@ -3056,6 +3056,7 @@ static void hists_evsel__exit(struct evsel *evsel)
 	struct perf_hpp_list_node *node, *tmp;
 
 	hists__delete_all_entries(hists);
+	zfree(&hists->symbol_filter_str);
 	zfree(&hists->mem_stat_types);
 	zfree(&hists->mem_stat_total);