diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index 7ec3188d3cb3..6bf845758ae3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ static struct thread *____machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
 		 * leader and that would screwed the rb tree.
 		 */
 		if (thread__init_map_groups(th, machine)) {
-			rb_erase(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
+			rb_erase_init(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
 			RB_CLEAR_NODE(&th->rb_node);
 			thread__delete(th);
 			return NULL;
@@ -1314,7 +1314,7 @@ static void __machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread *th,
 	BUG_ON(atomic_read(&th->refcnt) == 0);
 	if (lock)
 		pthread_rwlock_wrlock(&machine->threads_lock);
-	rb_erase(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
+	rb_erase_init(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
 	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&th->rb_node);
 	/*
 	 * Move it first to the dead_threads list, then drop the reference,