diff --git a/tools/perf/util/comm.c b/tools/perf/util/comm.c
index b2bb59d..21b7ff3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/comm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/comm.c
@@ -2,24 +2,27 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <linux/atomic.h>
 
 struct comm_str {
 	char *str;
 	struct rb_node rb_node;
-	int ref;
+	atomic_t refcnt;
 };
 
 /* Should perhaps be moved to struct machine */
 static struct rb_root comm_str_root;
 
-static void comm_str__get(struct comm_str *cs)
+static struct comm_str *comm_str__get(struct comm_str *cs)
 {
-	cs->ref++;
+	if (cs)
+		atomic_inc(&cs->refcnt);
+	return cs;
 }
 
 static void comm_str__put(struct comm_str *cs)
 {
-	if (!--cs->ref) {
+	if (cs && atomic_dec_and_test(&cs->refcnt)) {
 		rb_erase(&cs->rb_node, &comm_str_root);
 		zfree(&cs->str);
 		free(cs);
@@ -40,6 +43,8 @@
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	atomic_set(&cs->refcnt, 0);
+
 	return cs;
 }