diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
index db0cc92cf2ea..f63557b59c06 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
@@ -718,6 +718,17 @@ int dso__load_sym(struct dso *dso, struct map *map,
 					sym.st_value);
 			used_opd = true;
 		}
+		/*
+		 * When loading symbols in a data mapping, ABS symbols (which
+		 * has a value of SHN_ABS in its st_shndx) failed at
+		 * elf_getscn().  And it marks the loading as a failure so
+		 * already loaded symbols cannot be fixed up.
+		 *
+		 * I'm not sure what should be done. Just ignore them for now.
+		 * - Namhyung Kim
+		 */
+		if (sym.st_shndx == SHN_ABS)
+			continue;
 
 		sec = elf_getscn(runtime_ss->elf, sym.st_shndx);
 		if (!sec)