diff --git a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
index f7c4dcb9d582..05cbdb6e6be8 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
@@ -1678,11 +1678,19 @@ struct sym_args {
 	bool		near;
 };
 
+static bool kern_sym_name_match(const char *kname, const char *name)
+{
+	size_t n = strlen(name);
+
+	return !strcmp(kname, name) ||
+	       (!strncmp(kname, name, n) && kname[n] == '\t');
+}
+
 static bool kern_sym_match(struct sym_args *args, const char *name, char type)
 {
 	/* A function with the same name, and global or the n'th found or any */
 	return kallsyms__is_function(type) &&
-	       !strcmp(name, args->name) &&
+	       kern_sym_name_match(name, args->name) &&
 	       ((args->global && isupper(type)) ||
 		(args->selected && ++(args->cnt) == args->idx) ||
 		(!args->global && !args->selected));