diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index fca9dbaf61ae..1eb15f7517b0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/bitops.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/stringify.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/utsname.h>
@@ -416,10 +417,8 @@ static int __write_cpudesc(struct feat_fd *ff, const char *cpuinfo_proc)
 	while (*p) {
 		if (isspace(*p)) {
 			char *r = p + 1;
-			char *q = r;
+			char *q = skip_spaces(r);
 			*p = ' ';
-			while (*q && isspace(*q))
-				q++;
 			if (q != (p+1))
 				while ((*r++ = *q++));
 		}