diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index e5230c0..93862a8 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -695,13 +695,50 @@
 	return err;
 }
 
+static int perf_header__read_build_ids_abi_quirk(struct perf_header *header,
+						 int input, u64 offset, u64 size)
+{
+	struct perf_session *session = container_of(header, struct perf_session, header);
+	struct {
+		struct perf_event_header   header;
+		u8			   build_id[ALIGN(BUILD_ID_SIZE, sizeof(u64))];
+		char			   filename[0];
+	} old_bev;
+	struct build_id_event bev;
+	char filename[PATH_MAX];
+	u64 limit = offset + size;
+
+	while (offset < limit) {
+		ssize_t len;
+
+		if (read(input, &old_bev, sizeof(old_bev)) != sizeof(old_bev))
+			return -1;
+
+		if (header->needs_swap)
+			perf_event_header__bswap(&old_bev.header);
+
+		len = old_bev.header.size - sizeof(old_bev);
+		if (read(input, filename, len) != len)
+			return -1;
+
+		bev.header = old_bev.header;
+		bev.pid	   = 0;
+		memcpy(bev.build_id, old_bev.build_id, sizeof(bev.build_id));
+		__event_process_build_id(&bev, filename, session);
+
+		offset += bev.header.size;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int perf_header__read_build_ids(struct perf_header *header,
 				       int input, u64 offset, u64 size)
 {
 	struct perf_session *session = container_of(header, struct perf_session, header);
 	struct build_id_event bev;
 	char filename[PATH_MAX];
-	u64 limit = offset + size;
+	u64 limit = offset + size, orig_offset = offset;
 	int err = -1;
 
 	while (offset < limit) {
@@ -716,6 +753,24 @@
 		len = bev.header.size - sizeof(bev);
 		if (read(input, filename, len) != len)
 			goto out;
+		/*
+		 * The a1645ce1 changeset:
+		 *
+		 * "perf: 'perf kvm' tool for monitoring guest performance from host"
+		 *
+		 * Added a field to struct build_id_event that broke the file
+		 * format.
+		 *
+		 * Since the kernel build-id is the first entry, process the
+		 * table using the old format if the well known
+		 * '[kernel.kallsyms]' string for the kernel build-id has the
+		 * first 4 characters chopped off (where the pid_t sits).
+		 */
+		if (memcmp(filename, "nel.kallsyms]", 13) == 0) {
+			if (lseek(input, orig_offset, SEEK_SET) == (off_t)-1)
+				return -1;
+			return perf_header__read_build_ids_abi_quirk(header, input, offset, size);
+		}
 
 		__event_process_build_id(&bev, filename, session);