diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/dso-data.c b/tools/perf/tests/dso-data.c
index 513e5febbe5a..3e41c61bd861 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/dso-data.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/dso-data.c
@@ -99,6 +99,17 @@ struct test_data_offset offsets[] = {
 	},
 };
 
+/* move it from util/dso.c for compatibility */
+static int dso__data_fd(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine)
+{
+	int fd = dso__data_get_fd(dso, machine);
+
+	if (fd >= 0)
+		dso__data_put_fd(dso);
+
+	return fd;
+}
+
 int test__dso_data(void)
 {
 	struct machine machine;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.c b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
index e95e850dd832..7e11a700303f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
@@ -473,25 +473,35 @@ out:
 }
 
 /**
- * dso__data_fd - Get dso's data file descriptor
+ * dso__data_get_fd - Get dso's data file descriptor
  * @dso: dso object
  * @machine: machine object
  *
  * External interface to find dso's file, open it and
- * returns file descriptor.
+ * returns file descriptor.  It should be paired with
+ * dso__data_put_fd() if it returns non-negative value.
  */
-int dso__data_fd(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine)
+int dso__data_get_fd(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine)
 {
 	if (dso->data.status == DSO_DATA_STATUS_ERROR)
 		return -1;
 
-	pthread_mutex_lock(&dso__data_open_lock);
+	if (pthread_mutex_lock(&dso__data_open_lock) < 0)
+		return -1;
+
 	try_to_open_dso(dso, machine);
-	pthread_mutex_unlock(&dso__data_open_lock);
+
+	if (dso->data.fd < 0)
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&dso__data_open_lock);
 
 	return dso->data.fd;
 }
 
+void dso__data_put_fd(struct dso *dso __maybe_unused)
+{
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&dso__data_open_lock);
+}
+
 bool dso__data_status_seen(struct dso *dso, enum dso_data_status_seen by)
 {
 	u32 flag = 1 << by;
@@ -1199,12 +1209,15 @@ size_t dso__fprintf(struct dso *dso, enum map_type type, FILE *fp)
 enum dso_type dso__type(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine)
 {
 	int fd;
+	enum dso_type type = DSO__TYPE_UNKNOWN;
 
-	fd = dso__data_fd(dso, machine);
-	if (fd < 0)
-		return DSO__TYPE_UNKNOWN;
+	fd = dso__data_get_fd(dso, machine);
+	if (fd >= 0) {
+		type = dso__type_fd(fd);
+		dso__data_put_fd(dso);
+	}
 
-	return dso__type_fd(fd);
+	return type;
 }
 
 int dso__strerror_load(struct dso *dso, char *buf, size_t buflen)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.h b/tools/perf/util/dso.h
index b26ec3ab1336..bcec06ad73a2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.h
@@ -240,7 +240,8 @@ int __kmod_path__parse(struct kmod_path *m, const char *path,
 
 /*
  * The dso__data_* external interface provides following functions:
- *   dso__data_fd
+ *   dso__data_get_fd
+ *   dso__data_put_fd
  *   dso__data_close
  *   dso__data_size
  *   dso__data_read_offset
@@ -257,8 +258,11 @@ int __kmod_path__parse(struct kmod_path *m, const char *path,
  * The current usage of the dso__data_* interface is as follows:
  *
  * Get DSO's fd:
- *   int fd = dso__data_fd(dso, machine);
- *   USE 'fd' SOMEHOW
+ *   int fd = dso__data_get_fd(dso, machine);
+ *   if (fd >= 0) {
+ *       USE 'fd' SOMEHOW
+ *       dso__data_put_fd(dso);
+ *   }
  *
  * Read DSO's data:
  *   n = dso__data_read_offset(dso_0, &machine, 0, buf, BUFSIZE);
@@ -277,7 +281,8 @@ int __kmod_path__parse(struct kmod_path *m, const char *path,
  *
  * TODO
 */
-int dso__data_fd(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine);
+int dso__data_get_fd(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine);
+void dso__data_put_fd(struct dso *dso __maybe_unused);
 void dso__data_close(struct dso *dso);
 
 off_t dso__data_size(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c b/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c
index 7b09a443a280..f079b63f0b7f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c
@@ -269,13 +269,14 @@ static int read_unwind_spec_eh_frame(struct dso *dso, struct machine *machine,
 	u64 offset = dso->data.eh_frame_hdr_offset;
 
 	if (offset == 0) {
-		fd = dso__data_fd(dso, machine);
+		fd = dso__data_get_fd(dso, machine);
 		if (fd < 0)
 			return -EINVAL;
 
 		/* Check the .eh_frame section for unwinding info */
 		offset = elf_section_offset(fd, ".eh_frame_hdr");
 		dso->data.eh_frame_hdr_offset = offset;
+		dso__data_put_fd(dso);
 	}
 
 	if (offset)
@@ -294,13 +295,14 @@ static int read_unwind_spec_debug_frame(struct dso *dso,
 	u64 ofs = dso->data.debug_frame_offset;
 
 	if (ofs == 0) {
-		fd = dso__data_fd(dso, machine);
+		fd = dso__data_get_fd(dso, machine);
 		if (fd < 0)
 			return -EINVAL;
 
 		/* Check the .debug_frame section for unwinding info */
 		ofs = elf_section_offset(fd, ".debug_frame");
 		dso->data.debug_frame_offset = ofs;
+		dso__data_put_fd(dso);
 	}
 
 	*offset = ofs;
@@ -353,10 +355,13 @@ find_proc_info(unw_addr_space_t as, unw_word_t ip, unw_proc_info_t *pi,
 #ifndef NO_LIBUNWIND_DEBUG_FRAME
 	/* Check the .debug_frame section for unwinding info */
 	if (!read_unwind_spec_debug_frame(map->dso, ui->machine, &segbase)) {
-		int fd = dso__data_fd(map->dso, ui->machine);
+		int fd = dso__data_get_fd(map->dso, ui->machine);
 		int is_exec = elf_is_exec(fd, map->dso->name);
 		unw_word_t base = is_exec ? 0 : map->start;
 
+		if (fd >= 0)
+			dso__data_put_fd(dso);
+
 		memset(&di, 0, sizeof(di));
 		if (dwarf_find_debug_frame(0, &di, ip, base, map->dso->name,
 					   map->start, map->end))