diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c b/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
index c8122d3..d73580b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-lock.c
@@ -865,6 +865,8 @@
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
+	symbol__init();
+
 	if (!perf_session__has_traces(session, "lock record"))
 		goto out_delete;
 
@@ -974,7 +976,6 @@
 	unsigned int i;
 	int rc = 0;
 
-	symbol__init();
 	for (i = 0; i < LOCKHASH_SIZE; i++)
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(lockhash_table + i);