diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
index b8a7056519ac..82ac71550091 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int test__PERF_RECORD(void)
 	};
 	cpu_set_t cpu_mask;
 	size_t cpu_mask_size = sizeof(cpu_mask);
-	struct perf_evlist *evlist = perf_evlist__new();
+	struct perf_evlist *evlist = perf_evlist__new_default();
 	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
 	struct perf_sample sample;
 	const char *cmd = "sleep";
@@ -65,16 +65,6 @@ int test__PERF_RECORD(void)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * We need at least one evsel in the evlist, use the default
-	 * one: "cycles".
-	 */
-	err = perf_evlist__add_default(evlist);
-	if (err < 0) {
-		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create evsel\n");
-		goto out_delete_evlist;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Create maps of threads and cpus to monitor. In this case
 	 * we start with all threads and cpus (-1, -1) but then in
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
index 28fe5894b061..b07f8a14e15d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
@@ -37,20 +37,11 @@ int test__task_exit(void)
 	signal(SIGCHLD, sig_handler);
 	signal(SIGUSR1, sig_handler);
 
-	evlist = perf_evlist__new();
+	evlist = perf_evlist__new_default();
 	if (evlist == NULL) {
-		pr_debug("perf_evlist__new\n");
+		pr_debug("perf_evlist__new_default\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
-	/*
-	 * We need at least one evsel in the evlist, use the default
-	 * one: "cycles".
-	 */
-	err = perf_evlist__add_default(evlist);
-	if (err < 0) {
-		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create evsel\n");
-		goto out_free_evlist;
-	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Create maps of threads and cpus to monitor. In this case
@@ -117,7 +108,6 @@ int test__task_exit(void)
 	perf_evlist__close(evlist);
 out_delete_maps:
 	perf_evlist__delete_maps(evlist);
-out_free_evlist:
 	perf_evlist__delete(evlist);
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index d21ab0812926..f0d71a9d49f4 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -50,6 +50,18 @@ struct perf_evlist *perf_evlist__new(void)
 	return evlist;
 }
 
+struct perf_evlist *perf_evlist__new_default(void)
+{
+	struct perf_evlist *evlist = perf_evlist__new();
+
+	if (evlist && perf_evlist__add_default(evlist)) {
+		perf_evlist__delete(evlist);
+		evlist = NULL;
+	}
+
+	return evlist;
+}
+
 /**
  * perf_evlist__set_id_pos - set the positions of event ids.
  * @evlist: selected event list
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
index 4edb5008fd36..871b55ab5dee 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct perf_evsel_str_handler {
 };
 
 struct perf_evlist *perf_evlist__new(void);
+struct perf_evlist *perf_evlist__new_default(void);
 void perf_evlist__init(struct perf_evlist *evlist, struct cpu_map *cpus,
 		       struct thread_map *threads);
 void perf_evlist__exit(struct perf_evlist *evlist);