diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index 47b35407c2f2..935d52216c89 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -1165,16 +1165,16 @@ static int kvm_live_open_events(struct perf_kvm_stat *kvm)
 		struct perf_event_attr *attr = &pos->attr;
 
 		/* make sure these *are* set */
-		attr->sample_type |= PERF_SAMPLE_TID;
-		attr->sample_type |= PERF_SAMPLE_TIME;
-		attr->sample_type |= PERF_SAMPLE_CPU;
-		attr->sample_type |= PERF_SAMPLE_RAW;
+		perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(pos, TID);
+		perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(pos, TIME);
+		perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(pos, CPU);
+		perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(pos, RAW);
 		/* make sure these are *not*; want as small a sample as possible */
-		attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_PERIOD;
-		attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_IP;
-		attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN;
-		attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_ADDR;
-		attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_READ;
+		perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(pos, PERIOD);
+		perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(pos, IP);
+		perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(pos, CALLCHAIN);
+		perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(pos, ADDR);
+		perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(pos, READ);
 		attr->mmap = 0;
 		attr->comm = 0;
 		attr->task = 0;