diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile b/tools/perf/Makefile
index 7d30a7ddcc88..845cc762735d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)util/rblist.o
 LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)util/intlist.o
 LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)util/vdso.o
 LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)util/stat.o
+LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)util/record.o
 
 LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)ui/setup.o
 LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)ui/helpline.o
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index 1f5105ac5c85..9d682e5f7184 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -49,28 +49,6 @@ struct perf_evlist *perf_evlist__new(void)
 	return evlist;
 }
 
-void perf_evlist__config(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
-			struct perf_record_opts *opts)
-{
-	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
-	/*
-	 * Set the evsel leader links before we configure attributes,
-	 * since some might depend on this info.
-	 */
-	if (opts->group)
-		perf_evlist__set_leader(evlist);
-
-	if (evlist->cpus->map[0] < 0)
-		opts->no_inherit = true;
-
-	list_for_each_entry(evsel, &evlist->entries, node) {
-		perf_evsel__config(evsel, opts);
-
-		if (evlist->nr_entries > 1)
-			perf_evsel__set_sample_id(evsel);
-	}
-}
-
 static void perf_evlist__purge(struct perf_evlist *evlist)
 {
 	struct perf_evsel *pos, *n;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/record.c b/tools/perf/util/record.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9b5ef7933135
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/perf/util/record.c
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#include "evlist.h"
+#include "evsel.h"
+#include "cpumap.h"
+
+void perf_evlist__config(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
+			struct perf_record_opts *opts)
+{
+	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
+	/*
+	 * Set the evsel leader links before we configure attributes,
+	 * since some might depend on this info.
+	 */
+	if (opts->group)
+		perf_evlist__set_leader(evlist);
+
+	if (evlist->cpus->map[0] < 0)
+		opts->no_inherit = true;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(evsel, &evlist->entries, node) {
+		perf_evsel__config(evsel, opts);
+
+		if (evlist->nr_entries > 1)
+			perf_evsel__set_sample_id(evsel);
+	}
+}