diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
index dcfdafdc2f1c..6680e4fb7967 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ do {							\
 	yycolumn += yyleng;				\
 } while (0);
 
+#define USER_REJECT		\
+	yycolumn -= yyleng;	\
+	REJECT
+
 %}
 
 %x mem
@@ -335,8 +339,8 @@ r{num_raw_hex}		{ return raw(yyscanner); }
 {num_hex}		{ return value(yyscanner, 16); }
 
 {modifier_event}	{ return str(yyscanner, PE_MODIFIER_EVENT); }
-{bpf_object}		{ if (!isbpf(yyscanner)) REJECT; return str(yyscanner, PE_BPF_OBJECT); }
-{bpf_source}		{ if (!isbpf(yyscanner)) REJECT; return str(yyscanner, PE_BPF_SOURCE); }
+{bpf_object}		{ if (!isbpf(yyscanner)) USER_REJECT; return str(yyscanner, PE_BPF_OBJECT); }
+{bpf_source}		{ if (!isbpf(yyscanner)) USER_REJECT; return str(yyscanner, PE_BPF_SOURCE); }
 {name}			{ return pmu_str_check(yyscanner); }
 "/"			{ BEGIN(config); return '/'; }
 -			{ return '-'; }