diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index e34c81a0bcf3..e75628813968 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -645,6 +645,12 @@ int parse_events_add_pmu(struct list_head *list, int *idx,
 
 	memset(&attr, 0, sizeof(attr));
 
+	if (!head_config) {
+		attr.type = pmu->type;
+		evsel = __add_event(list, idx, &attr, NULL, pmu->cpus);
+		return evsel ? 0 : -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
 	if (perf_pmu__check_alias(pmu, head_config, &unit, &scale))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
index 0bc87ba46bf3..55fab6ad609a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
@@ -210,6 +210,16 @@ PE_NAME '/' event_config '/'
 	parse_events__free_terms($3);
 	$$ = list;
 }
+|
+PE_NAME '/' '/'
+{
+	struct parse_events_evlist *data = _data;
+	struct list_head *list;
+
+	ALLOC_LIST(list);
+	ABORT_ON(parse_events_add_pmu(list, &data->idx, $1, NULL));
+	$$ = list;
+}
 
 value_sym:
 PE_VALUE_SYM_HW