diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c
index 32edb6a..7cbb5eb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kmem.c
@@ -489,6 +489,9 @@
 	if (session == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	if (perf_session__create_kernel_maps(session) < 0)
+		goto out_delete;
+
 	if (!perf_session__has_traces(session, "kmem record"))
 		goto out_delete;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.c b/tools/perf/util/session.c
index 32765cd..9da5e72 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.c
@@ -52,11 +52,6 @@
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static inline int perf_session__create_kernel_maps(struct perf_session *self)
-{
-	return map_groups__create_kernel_maps(&self->kmaps, self->vmlinux_maps);
-}
-
 struct perf_session *perf_session__new(const char *filename, int mode, bool force)
 {
 	size_t len = filename ? strlen(filename) + 1 : 0;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.h b/tools/perf/util/session.h
index 6a15dae..dffaff5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.h
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@
 						self->vmlinux_maps, kernel);
 }
 
+static inline int perf_session__create_kernel_maps(struct perf_session *self)
+{
+	return map_groups__create_kernel_maps(&self->kmaps, self->vmlinux_maps);
+}
+
 static inline struct map *
 	perf_session__new_module_map(struct perf_session *self,
 				     u64 start, const char *filename)