diff --git a/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c b/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c
index e7dddf0127bc..a73f39540a3d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ int lock_contention_read(struct lock_contention *con)
 	}
 
 	/* make sure it loads the kernel map */
-	map__load(maps__first(machine->kmaps)->map);
+	maps__load_first(machine->kmaps);
 
 	prev_key = NULL;
 	while (!bpf_map_get_next_key(fd, prev_key, &key)) {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/maps.c b/tools/perf/util/maps.c
index 9a011aed4b75..9c7618b7d5e9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/maps.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/maps.c
@@ -713,3 +713,16 @@ out:
 	}
 	return err;
 }
+
+void maps__load_first(struct maps *maps)
+{
+	struct map_rb_node *first;
+
+	down_read(maps__lock(maps));
+
+	first = maps__first(maps);
+	if (first)
+		map__load(first->map);
+
+	up_read(maps__lock(maps));
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/maps.h b/tools/perf/util/maps.h
index a689149be8c4..d9f65f9e6d09 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/maps.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/maps.h
@@ -145,4 +145,6 @@ void __maps__sort_by_name(struct maps *maps);
 
 void maps__fixup_end(struct maps *maps);
 
+void maps__load_first(struct maps *maps);
+
 #endif // __PERF_MAPS_H