diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
index 0e824f7d8b19cd..6211d0b84b7a63 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
@@ -368,16 +368,6 @@ static inline int output_type(unsigned int type)
 	return OUTPUT_TYPE_OTHER;
 }
 
-static inline unsigned int attr_type(unsigned int type)
-{
-	switch (type) {
-	case OUTPUT_TYPE_SYNTH:
-		return PERF_TYPE_SYNTH;
-	default:
-		return type;
-	}
-}
-
 static bool output_set_by_user(void)
 {
 	int j;
@@ -556,6 +546,18 @@ static void set_print_ip_opts(struct perf_event_attr *attr)
 		output[type].print_ip_opts |= EVSEL__PRINT_SRCLINE;
 }
 
+static struct evsel *find_first_output_type(struct evlist *evlist,
+					    unsigned int type)
+{
+	struct evsel *evsel;
+
+	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, evsel) {
+		if (output_type(evsel->core.attr.type) == (int)type)
+			return evsel;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 /*
  * verify all user requested events exist and the samples
  * have the expected data
@@ -567,7 +569,7 @@ static int perf_session__check_output_opt(struct perf_session *session)
 	struct evsel *evsel;
 
 	for (j = 0; j < OUTPUT_TYPE_MAX; ++j) {
-		evsel = perf_session__find_first_evtype(session, attr_type(j));
+		evsel = find_first_output_type(session->evlist, j);
 
 		/*
 		 * even if fields is set to 0 (ie., show nothing) event must