diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
index 77d50a6..b6da147 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 static int		full_paths;
 
 static int		print_line;
+static bool		use_modules;
 
 static unsigned long	page_size;
 static unsigned long	mmap_window = 32;
@@ -636,7 +637,7 @@
 		exit(0);
 	}
 
-	if (load_kernel(symbol_filter) < 0) {
+	if (load_kernel(symbol_filter, use_modules) < 0) {
 		perror("failed to load kernel symbols");
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
@@ -742,7 +743,7 @@
 	OPT_BOOLEAN('D', "dump-raw-trace", &dump_trace,
 		    "dump raw trace in ASCII"),
 	OPT_STRING('k', "vmlinux", &vmlinux_name, "file", "vmlinux pathname"),
-	OPT_BOOLEAN('m', "modules", &modules,
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('m', "modules", &use_modules,
 		    "load module symbols - WARNING: use only with -k and LIVE kernel"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN('l', "print-line", &print_line,
 		    "print matching source lines (may be slow)"),
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 1a806d5..0af4840 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 static struct strlist	*dso_list, *comm_list, *sym_list;
 
 static int		force;
+static bool		use_modules;
 
 static int		full_paths;
 static int		show_nr_samples;
@@ -1023,7 +1024,7 @@
 		    "dump raw trace in ASCII"),
 	OPT_STRING('k', "vmlinux", &vmlinux_name, "file", "vmlinux pathname"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN('f', "force", &force, "don't complain, do it"),
-	OPT_BOOLEAN('m', "modules", &modules,
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('m', "modules", &use_modules,
 		    "load module symbols - WARNING: use only with -k and LIVE kernel"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN('n', "show-nr-samples", &show_nr_samples,
 		    "Show a column with the number of samples"),
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 6d770ac..48cc108 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -953,8 +953,16 @@
 	if (kernel == NULL)
 		return -1;
 
+	if (dsos__load_modules() < 0)
+		pr_debug("Couldn't read the complete list of modules, "
+			 "continuing...\n");
+
+	if (dsos__load_modules_sym(symbol_filter) < 0)
+		pr_warning("Failed to read module symbols, continuing...\n");
+
 	if (dso__load_kernel_sym(kernel, symbol_filter, 1) <= 0)
-		return -1;
+		pr_debug("Couldn't read the complete list of kernel symbols, "
+			 "continuing...\n");
 
 	if (dump_symtab)
 		dsos__fprintf(stderr);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/data_map.c b/tools/perf/util/data_map.c
index 5543e7d..a444a26 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/data_map.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/data_map.c
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
 		goto out_delete;
 
 	err = -ENOMEM;
-	if (load_kernel(NULL) < 0) {
+	if (load_kernel(NULL, 1) < 0) {
 		pr_err("failed to load kernel symbols\n");
 		goto out_delete;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
index 4d75e74..3b23c18c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
@@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static int dsos__load_modules_sym(symbol_filter_t filter)
+int dsos__load_modules_sym(symbol_filter_t filter)
 {
 	struct utsname uts;
 	char modules_path[PATH_MAX];
@@ -1352,33 +1352,18 @@
 	return err;
 }
 
-int dso__load_kernel_sym(struct dso *self, symbol_filter_t filter, int use_modules)
+int dso__load_kernel_sym(struct dso *self, symbol_filter_t filter,
+			 int use_modules)
 {
-	int err = -1;
+	int err;
 
 	kernel_map = map__new2(0, self);
 	if (kernel_map == NULL)
-		goto out_delete_dso;
+		return -1;
 
 	kernel_map->map_ip = kernel_map->unmap_ip = identity__map_ip;
 
-	if (use_modules && dsos__load_modules() < 0) {
-		pr_warning("Failed to load list of modules in use! "
-			   "Continuing...\n");
-		use_modules = 0;
-	}
-
 	err = dso__load_vmlinux(self, kernel_map, self->name, filter);
-	if (err > 0 && use_modules) {
-		int syms = dsos__load_modules_sym(filter);
-
-		if (syms < 0)
-			pr_warning("Failed to read module symbols!"
-				   " Continuing...\n");
-		else
-			err += syms;
-	}
-
 	if (err <= 0)
 		err = kernel_maps__load_kallsyms(filter, use_modules);
 
@@ -1404,17 +1389,12 @@
 	}
 
 	return err;
-
-out_delete_dso:
-	dso__delete(self);
-	return -1;
 }
 
 LIST_HEAD(dsos);
 struct dso	*vdso;
 
 const char	*vmlinux_name = "vmlinux";
-int		modules;
 
 static void dsos__add(struct dso *dso)
 {
@@ -1488,14 +1468,26 @@
 	return kernel;
 }
 
-int load_kernel(symbol_filter_t filter)
+int load_kernel(symbol_filter_t filter, bool use_modules)
 {
 	struct dso *kernel = dsos__load_kernel();
 
 	if (kernel == NULL)
 		return -1;
 
-	return dso__load_kernel_sym(kernel, filter, modules);
+	if (use_modules) {
+		if (dsos__load_modules() < 0)
+			pr_warning("Failed to load list of modules in use, "
+				   "continuing...\n");
+		else if (dsos__load_modules_sym(filter) < 0)
+			pr_warning("Failed to read module symbols, "
+				   "continuing...\n");
+	}
+
+	if (dso__load_kernel_sym(kernel, filter, use_modules) < 0)
+		pr_warning("Failed to read kernel symbols, continuing...\n");
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void symbol__init(unsigned int priv_size)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.h b/tools/perf/util/symbol.h
index f0593a6..3d9d346 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.h
@@ -78,9 +78,11 @@
 struct symbol *dso__find_symbol(struct dso *self, u64 ip);
 
 int dsos__load_modules(void);
+int dsos__load_modules_sym(symbol_filter_t filter);
 struct dso *dsos__findnew(const char *name);
 int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter);
-int dso__load_kernel_sym(struct dso *self, symbol_filter_t filter, int modules);
+int dso__load_kernel_sym(struct dso *self, symbol_filter_t filter,
+			 int use_modules);
 void dsos__fprintf(FILE *fp);
 size_t dsos__fprintf_buildid(FILE *fp);
 
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@
 int build_id__sprintf(u8 *self, int len, char *bf);
 
 struct dso *dsos__load_kernel(void);
-int load_kernel(symbol_filter_t filter);
+int load_kernel(symbol_filter_t filter, bool use_modules);
 
 void symbol__init(unsigned int priv_size);
 
@@ -103,5 +105,4 @@
 extern struct map *kernel_map;
 extern struct dso *vdso;
 extern const char *vmlinux_name;
-extern int   modules;
 #endif /* __PERF_SYMBOL */