diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index 4514e7e..574feb7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -1031,11 +1031,27 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread *th)
+{
+	machine->last_match = NULL;
+	rb_erase(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
+	/*
+	 * We may have references to this thread, for instance in some hist_entry
+	 * instances, so just move them to a separate list.
+	 */
+	list_add_tail(&th->node, &machine->dead_threads);
+}
+
 int machine__process_fork_event(struct machine *machine, union perf_event *event)
 {
-	struct thread *thread = machine__findnew_thread(machine, event->fork.tid);
+	struct thread *thread = machine__find_thread(machine, event->fork.tid);
 	struct thread *parent = machine__findnew_thread(machine, event->fork.ptid);
 
+	/* if a thread currently exists for the thread id remove it */
+	if (thread != NULL)
+		machine__remove_thread(machine, thread);
+
+	thread = machine__findnew_thread(machine, event->fork.tid);
 	if (dump_trace)
 		perf_event__fprintf_task(event, stdout);
 
@@ -1048,18 +1064,8 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread *th)
-{
-	machine->last_match = NULL;
-	rb_erase(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
-	/*
-	 * We may have references to this thread, for instance in some hist_entry
-	 * instances, so just move them to a separate list.
-	 */
-	list_add_tail(&th->node, &machine->dead_threads);
-}
-
-int machine__process_exit_event(struct machine *machine, union perf_event *event)
+int machine__process_exit_event(struct machine *machine __maybe_unused,
+				union perf_event *event)
 {
 	struct thread *thread = machine__find_thread(machine, event->fork.tid);
 
@@ -1067,7 +1073,7 @@
 		perf_event__fprintf_task(event, stdout);
 
 	if (thread != NULL)
-		machine__remove_thread(machine, thread);
+		thread__exited(thread);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.h b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
index 13c62c9..32d0601 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 	pid_t			ppid;
 	char			shortname[3];
 	bool			comm_set;
+	bool			dead; /* if set thread has exited */
 	char			*comm;
 	int			comm_len;
 
@@ -26,6 +27,10 @@
 
 struct thread *thread__new(pid_t tid);
 void thread__delete(struct thread *self);
+static inline void thread__exited(struct thread *thread)
+{
+	thread->dead = true;
+}
 
 int thread__set_comm(struct thread *self, const char *comm);
 int thread__comm_len(struct thread *self);