diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 6f2a8c30413e..e992b67e0f3a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ struct format_field *perf_evsel__field(struct perf_evsel *evsel, const char *nam
 	return pevent_find_field(evsel->tp_format, name);
 }
 
-char *perf_evsel__strval(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_sample *sample,
+void *perf_evsel__rawptr(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_sample *sample,
 			 const char *name)
 {
 	struct format_field *field = perf_evsel__field(evsel, name);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
index 25043ff17fd7..2c4905020105 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
@@ -128,11 +128,18 @@ void perf_evsel__close(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int ncpus, int nthreads);
 
 struct perf_sample;
 
-char *perf_evsel__strval(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_sample *sample,
+void *perf_evsel__rawptr(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_sample *sample,
 			 const char *name);
 u64 perf_evsel__intval(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_sample *sample,
 		       const char *name);
 
+static inline char *perf_evsel__strval(struct perf_evsel *evsel,
+				       struct perf_sample *sample,
+				       const char *name)
+{
+	return perf_evsel__rawptr(evsel, sample, name);
+}
+
 struct format_field;
 
 struct format_field *perf_evsel__field(struct perf_evsel *evsel, const char *name);