diff --git a/tools/perf/util/python.c b/tools/perf/util/python.c
index efc8f88db5cf..e25c3fcaeccc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/python.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/python.c
@@ -610,6 +610,11 @@ static PyObject *pyrf_event__new(union perf_event *event)
 	      event->header.type == PERF_RECORD_SWITCH_CPU_WIDE))
 		return NULL;
 
+	// FIXME this better be dynamic or we need to parse everything
+	// before calling perf_mmap__consume(), including tracepoint fields.
+	if (sizeof(pevent->event) < event->header.size)
+		return NULL;
+
 	ptype = pyrf_event__type[event->header.type];
 	pevent = PyObject_New(struct pyrf_event, ptype);
 	if (pevent != NULL)