diff --git a/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.c b/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.c
index 27a461414b30..2690135bf83f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.c
+++ b/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.c
@@ -740,6 +740,7 @@ static int uncore_pmu_event_init(struct perf_event *event)
 		/* fixed counters have event field hardcoded to zero */
 		hwc->config = 0ULL;
 	} else if (is_freerunning_event(event)) {
+		hwc->config = event->attr.config;
 		if (!check_valid_freerunning_event(box, event))
 			return -EINVAL;
 		event->hw.idx = UNCORE_PMC_IDX_FREERUNNING;
diff --git a/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.h b/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.h
index e17ab885b1e9..cc6dd4f78158 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.h
+++ b/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore.h
@@ -285,8 +285,8 @@ static inline
 unsigned int uncore_freerunning_counter(struct intel_uncore_box *box,
 					struct perf_event *event)
 {
-	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->attr.config);
-	unsigned int idx = uncore_freerunning_idx(event->attr.config);
+	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->hw.config);
+	unsigned int idx = uncore_freerunning_idx(event->hw.config);
 	struct intel_uncore_pmu *pmu = box->pmu;
 
 	return pmu->type->freerunning[type].counter_base +
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ static inline
 unsigned int uncore_freerunning_bits(struct intel_uncore_box *box,
 				     struct perf_event *event)
 {
-	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->attr.config);
+	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->hw.config);
 
 	return box->pmu->type->freerunning[type].bits;
 }
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ unsigned int uncore_freerunning_bits(struct intel_uncore_box *box,
 static inline int uncore_num_freerunning(struct intel_uncore_box *box,
 					 struct perf_event *event)
 {
-	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->attr.config);
+	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->hw.config);
 
 	return box->pmu->type->freerunning[type].num_counters;
 }
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ static inline int uncore_num_freerunning_types(struct intel_uncore_box *box,
 static inline bool check_valid_freerunning_event(struct intel_uncore_box *box,
 						 struct perf_event *event)
 {
-	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->attr.config);
-	unsigned int idx = uncore_freerunning_idx(event->attr.config);
+	unsigned int type = uncore_freerunning_type(event->hw.config);
+	unsigned int idx = uncore_freerunning_idx(event->hw.config);
 
 	return (type < uncore_num_freerunning_types(box, event)) &&
 	       (idx < uncore_num_freerunning(box, event));
diff --git a/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore_snb.c b/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore_snb.c
index bfa25814fe5f..2d328386f83a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore_snb.c
+++ b/arch/x86/events/intel/uncore_snb.c
@@ -444,9 +444,11 @@ static int snb_uncore_imc_event_init(struct perf_event *event)
 
 	/* must be done before validate_group */
 	event->hw.event_base = base;
-	event->hw.config = cfg;
 	event->hw.idx = idx;
 
+	/* Convert to standard encoding format for freerunning counters */
+	event->hw.config = ((cfg - 1) << 8) | 0x10ff;
+
 	/* no group validation needed, we have free running counters */
 
 	return 0;