diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
index a9d758a3b371..e89afc097d8a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
@@ -1336,6 +1336,8 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *dso, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 
 			if (syms_ss && runtime_ss)
 				break;
+		} else {
+			symsrc__destroy(ss);
 		}
 
 	}