diff --git a/tools/perf/util/config.c b/tools/perf/util/config.c
index 953512ed72ba..57ff826f150b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/config.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/config.c
@@ -222,7 +222,8 @@ static int perf_parse_file(config_fn_t fn, void *data)
 	const unsigned char *bomptr = utf8_bom;
 
 	for (;;) {
-		int c = get_next_char();
+		int line, c = get_next_char();
+
 		if (bomptr && *bomptr) {
 			/* We are at the file beginning; skip UTF8-encoded BOM
 			 * if present. Sane editors won't put this in on their
@@ -261,8 +262,16 @@ static int perf_parse_file(config_fn_t fn, void *data)
 		if (!isalpha(c))
 			break;
 		var[baselen] = tolower(c);
-		if (get_value(fn, data, var, baselen+1) < 0)
+
+		/*
+		 * The get_value function might or might not reach the '\n',
+		 * so saving the current line number for error reporting.
+		 */
+		line = config_linenr;
+		if (get_value(fn, data, var, baselen+1) < 0) {
+			config_linenr = line;
 			break;
+		}
 	}
 	die("bad config file line %d in %s", config_linenr, config_file_name);
 }