diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.c b/tools/perf/util/thread.c
index a9df7f2c6dc9..2b7b2d91c016 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "comm.h"
+#include "unwind.h"
 
 int thread__init_map_groups(struct thread *thread, struct machine *machine)
 {
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ struct thread *thread__new(pid_t pid, pid_t tid)
 		thread->cpu = -1;
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&thread->comm_list);
 
+		if (unwind__prepare_access(thread) < 0)
+			goto err_thread;
+
 		comm_str = malloc(32);
 		if (!comm_str)
 			goto err_thread;
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ struct thread *thread__new(pid_t pid, pid_t tid)
 			goto err_thread;
 
 		list_add(&comm->list, &thread->comm_list);
+
 	}
 
 	return thread;
@@ -69,6 +74,7 @@ void thread__delete(struct thread *thread)
 		list_del(&comm->list);
 		comm__free(comm);
 	}
+	unwind__finish_access(thread);
 
 	free(thread);
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c b/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c
index 92b56db52471..e060386165c5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/unwind-libunwind.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <libunwind.h>
 #include <libunwind-ptrace.h>
+#include "callchain.h"
 #include "thread.h"
 #include "session.h"
 #include "perf_regs.h"
@@ -525,6 +526,35 @@ static unw_accessors_t accessors = {
 	.get_proc_name		= get_proc_name,
 };
 
+int unwind__prepare_access(struct thread *thread)
+{
+	unw_addr_space_t addr_space;
+
+	if (callchain_param.record_mode != CALLCHAIN_DWARF)
+		return 0;
+
+	addr_space = unw_create_addr_space(&accessors, 0);
+	if (!addr_space) {
+		pr_err("unwind: Can't create unwind address space.\n");
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
+	thread__set_priv(thread, addr_space);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void unwind__finish_access(struct thread *thread)
+{
+	unw_addr_space_t addr_space;
+
+	if (callchain_param.record_mode != CALLCHAIN_DWARF)
+		return;
+
+	addr_space = thread__priv(thread);
+	unw_destroy_addr_space(addr_space);
+}
+
 static int get_entries(struct unwind_info *ui, unwind_entry_cb_t cb,
 		       void *arg, int max_stack)
 {
@@ -532,11 +562,9 @@ static int get_entries(struct unwind_info *ui, unwind_entry_cb_t cb,
 	unw_cursor_t c;
 	int ret;
 
-	addr_space = unw_create_addr_space(&accessors, 0);
-	if (!addr_space) {
-		pr_err("unwind: Can't create unwind address space.\n");
-		return -ENOMEM;
-	}
+	addr_space = thread__priv(ui->thread);
+	if (addr_space == NULL)
+		return -1;
 
 	ret = unw_init_remote(&c, addr_space, ui);
 	if (ret)
@@ -549,7 +577,6 @@ static int get_entries(struct unwind_info *ui, unwind_entry_cb_t cb,
 		ret = ip ? entry(ip, ui->thread, ui->machine, cb, arg) : 0;
 	}
 
-	unw_destroy_addr_space(addr_space);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/unwind.h b/tools/perf/util/unwind.h
index f03061260b4e..c17c4855bdbc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/unwind.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/unwind.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <linux/types.h>
 #include "event.h"
 #include "symbol.h"
+#include "thread.h"
 
 struct unwind_entry {
 	struct map	*map;
@@ -21,6 +22,15 @@ int unwind__get_entries(unwind_entry_cb_t cb, void *arg,
 /* libunwind specific */
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBUNWIND_SUPPORT
 int libunwind__arch_reg_id(int regnum);
+int unwind__prepare_access(struct thread *thread);
+void unwind__finish_access(struct thread *thread);
+#else
+static inline int unwind__prepare_access(struct thread *thread __maybe_unused)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void unwind__finish_access(struct thread *thread __maybe_unused) {}
 #endif
 #else
 static inline int
@@ -33,5 +43,12 @@ unwind__get_entries(unwind_entry_cb_t cb __maybe_unused,
 {
 	return 0;
 }
+
+static inline int unwind__prepare_access(struct thread *thread __maybe_unused)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void unwind__finish_access(struct thread *thread __maybe_unused) {}
 #endif /* HAVE_DWARF_UNWIND_SUPPORT */
 #endif /* __UNWIND_H */