diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
index 651dbfe7f4f32b744f828e0ae3ea6ada59b35dec..17df793c89243a44324c5c0deafa45807d0b7f6b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
@@ -1486,7 +1486,9 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 	 * On the first pass, only load images if they have a full symtab.
 	 * Failing that, do a second pass where we accept .dynsym also
 	 */
-	for (self->symtab_type = SYMTAB__BUILD_ID_CACHE, want_symtab = 1;
+	want_symtab = 1;
+restart:
+	for (self->symtab_type = SYMTAB__BUILD_ID_CACHE;
 	     self->symtab_type != SYMTAB__NOT_FOUND;
 	     self->symtab_type++) {
 		switch (self->symtab_type) {
@@ -1536,17 +1538,7 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 			snprintf(name, size, "%s%s", symbol_conf.symfs,
 				 self->long_name);
 			break;
-
-		default:
-			/*
-			 * If we wanted a full symtab but no image had one,
-			 * relax our requirements and repeat the search.
-			 */
-			if (want_symtab) {
-				want_symtab = 0;
-				self->symtab_type = SYMTAB__BUILD_ID_CACHE;
-			} else
-				continue;
+		default:;
 		}
 
 		/* Name is now the name of the next image to try */
@@ -1573,6 +1565,15 @@ int dso__load(struct dso *self, struct map *map, symbol_filter_t filter)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If we wanted a full symtab but no image had one,
+	 * relax our requirements and repeat the search.
+	 */
+	if (ret <= 0 && want_symtab) {
+		want_symtab = 0;
+		goto restart;
+	}
+
 	free(name);
 	if (ret < 0 && strstr(self->name, " (deleted)") != NULL)
 		return 0;