diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index db814eadc16b..eb5a398ddb1d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -1924,21 +1924,13 @@ static void __record__save_lost_samples(struct record *rec, struct evsel *evsel,
 static void record__read_lost_samples(struct record *rec)
 {
 	struct perf_session *session = rec->session;
-	struct perf_record_lost_samples *lost;
+	struct perf_record_lost_samples *lost = NULL;
 	struct evsel *evsel;
 
 	/* there was an error during record__open */
 	if (session->evlist == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	lost = zalloc(PERF_SAMPLE_MAX_SIZE);
-	if (lost == NULL) {
-		pr_debug("Memory allocation failed\n");
-		return;
-	}
-
-	lost->header.type = PERF_RECORD_LOST_SAMPLES;
-
 	evlist__for_each_entry(session->evlist, evsel) {
 		struct xyarray *xy = evsel->core.sample_id;
 		u64 lost_count;
@@ -1961,6 +1953,14 @@ static void record__read_lost_samples(struct record *rec)
 				}
 
 				if (count.lost) {
+					if (!lost) {
+						lost = zalloc(PERF_SAMPLE_MAX_SIZE);
+						if (!lost) {
+							pr_debug("Memory allocation failed\n");
+							return;
+						}
+						lost->header.type = PERF_RECORD_LOST_SAMPLES;
+					}
 					__record__save_lost_samples(rec, evsel, lost,
 								    x, y, count.lost, 0);
 				}
@@ -1968,9 +1968,18 @@ static void record__read_lost_samples(struct record *rec)
 		}
 
 		lost_count = perf_bpf_filter__lost_count(evsel);
-		if (lost_count)
+		if (lost_count) {
+			if (!lost) {
+				lost = zalloc(PERF_SAMPLE_MAX_SIZE);
+				if (!lost) {
+					pr_debug("Memory allocation failed\n");
+					return;
+				}
+				lost->header.type = PERF_RECORD_LOST_SAMPLES;
+			}
 			__record__save_lost_samples(rec, evsel, lost, 0, 0, lost_count,
 						    PERF_RECORD_MISC_LOST_SAMPLES_BPF);
+		}
 	}
 out:
 	free(lost);