diff --git a/tools/include/linux/string.h b/tools/include/linux/string.h
index e26223f..b466d02 100644
--- a/tools/include/linux/string.h
+++ b/tools/include/linux/string.h
@@ -12,4 +12,6 @@
 extern size_t strlcpy(char *dest, const char *src, size_t size);
 #endif
 
+char *str_error_r(int errnum, char *buf, size_t buflen);
+
 #endif /* _LINUX_STRING_H_ */
diff --git a/tools/lib/str_error_r.c b/tools/lib/str_error_r.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..503ae07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/lib/str_error_r.c
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#undef _GNU_SOURCE
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
+
+/*
+ * The tools so far have been using the strerror_r() GNU variant, that returns
+ * a string, be it the buffer passed or something else.
+ *
+ * But that, besides being tricky in cases where we expect that the function
+ * using strerror_r() returns the error formatted in a provided buffer (we have
+ * to check if it returned something else and copy that instead), breaks the
+ * build on systems not using glibc, like Alpine Linux, where musl libc is
+ * used.
+ *
+ * So, introduce yet another wrapper, str_error_r(), that has the GNU
+ * interface, but uses the portable XSI variant of strerror_r(), so that users
+ * rest asured that the provided buffer is used and it is what is returned.
+ */
+char *str_error_r(int errnum, char *buf, size_t buflen)
+{
+	int err = strerror_r(errnum, buf, buflen);
+	if (err)
+		snprintf(buf, buflen, "INTERNAL ERROR: strerror_r(%d, %p, %zd)=%d", errnum, buf, buflen, err);
+	return buf;
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/MANIFEST b/tools/perf/MANIFEST
index 8c8c6b9..f18e781 100644
--- a/tools/perf/MANIFEST
+++ b/tools/perf/MANIFEST
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 tools/lib/symbol/kallsyms.h
 tools/lib/find_bit.c
 tools/lib/bitmap.c
+tools/lib/str_error_r.c
 tools/include/asm/atomic.h
 tools/include/asm/barrier.h
 tools/include/asm/bug.h
diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/rdpmc.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/rdpmc.c
index 72193f19..a32d72e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/rdpmc.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/tests/rdpmc.c
@@ -111,14 +111,14 @@
 	if (fd < 0) {
 		pr_err("Error: sys_perf_event_open() syscall returned "
 		       "with %d (%s)\n", fd,
-		       strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		       str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	addr = mmap(NULL, page_size, PROT_READ, MAP_SHARED, fd, 0);
 	if (addr == (void *)(-1)) {
 		pr_err("Error: mmap() syscall returned with (%s)\n",
-		       strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		       str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_close;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
index 76a4d03..30e2b2c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@
 						continue;
 					}
 					pr_warning("Couldn't add %s: %s\n",
-						   pos->s, strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+						   pos->s, str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 				}
 
 			strlist__delete(list);
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
 						continue;
 					}
 					pr_warning("Couldn't remove %s: %s\n",
-						   pos->s, strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+						   pos->s, str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 				}
 
 			strlist__delete(list);
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@
 						continue;
 					}
 					pr_warning("Couldn't remove %s: %s\n",
-						   pos->s, strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+						   pos->s, str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 				}
 
 			strlist__delete(list);
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@
 						continue;
 					}
 					pr_warning("Couldn't update %s: %s\n",
-						   pos->s, strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+						   pos->s, str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 				}
 
 			strlist__delete(list);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-help.c b/tools/perf/builtin-help.c
index 268ab73..3bdb2c7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-help.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-help.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
 			free(man_page);
 		}
 		warning("failed to exec '%s': %s", path,
-			strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@
 			free(man_page);
 		}
 		warning("failed to exec '%s': %s", path,
-			strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
 		path = "man";
 	execlp(path, "man", page, NULL);
 	warning("failed to exec '%s': %s", path,
-		strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 }
 
 static void exec_man_cmd(const char *cmd, const char *page)
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
 		free(shell_cmd);
 	}
 	warning("failed to exec '%s': %s", cmd,
-		strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 }
 
 static void add_man_viewer(const char *name)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index f4efef9..5e2127e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -1018,13 +1018,13 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		printf("Couldn't create the events: %s\n",
-		       strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		       str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out;
 	}
 
 	if (perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, kvm->opts.mmap_pages, false) < 0) {
 		ui__error("Failed to mmap the events: %s\n",
-			  strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			  str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		perf_evlist__close(evlist);
 		goto out;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c b/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c
index a1a5cd1..c6d890a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-probe.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@
 
 	pr_err("%s", msg);
 	pr_debug(" Reason: %s (Code: %d)",
-		 strerror_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)), err);
+		 str_error_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)), err);
 	pr_err("\n");
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index b2b3b60..d9f5cc3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@
 			return -errno;
 		} else {
 			pr_err("failed to mmap with %d (%s)\n", errno,
-				strerror_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
+				str_error_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
 			if (errno)
 				return -errno;
 			else
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@
 	if (perf_evlist__apply_filters(evlist, &pos)) {
 		error("failed to set filter \"%s\" on event %s with %d (%s)\n",
 			pos->filter, perf_evsel__name(pos), errno,
-			strerror_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
+			str_error_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
 		rc = -1;
 		goto out;
 	}
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@
 
 	if (forks && workload_exec_errno) {
 		char msg[STRERR_BUFSIZE];
-		const char *emsg = strerror_r(workload_exec_errno, msg, sizeof(msg));
+		const char *emsg = str_error_r(workload_exec_errno, msg, sizeof(msg));
 		pr_err("Workload failed: %s\n", emsg);
 		err = -1;
 		goto out_child;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
index afa0576..0dfe8df 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@
 		}
 		pr_err("Error: sys_perf_event_open() syscall returned "
 		       "with %d (%s)\n%s", fd,
-		       strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)), info);
+		       str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)), info);
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 	return fd;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index c367a43..8c5a3bf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@
 	if (perf_evlist__apply_filters(evsel_list, &counter)) {
 		error("failed to set filter \"%s\" on event %s with %d (%s)\n",
 			counter->filter, perf_evsel__name(counter), errno,
-			strerror_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
+			str_error_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@
 		wait(&status);
 
 		if (workload_exec_errno) {
-			const char *emsg = strerror_r(workload_exec_errno, msg, sizeof(msg));
+			const char *emsg = str_error_r(workload_exec_errno, msg, sizeof(msg));
 			pr_err("Workload failed: %s\n", emsg);
 			return -1;
 		}
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 07fc792..bd10868 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@
 
 	if (perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, opts->mmap_pages, false) < 0) {
 		ui__error("Failed to mmap with %d (%s)\n",
-			    errno, strerror_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
+			    errno, str_error_r(errno, msg, sizeof(msg)));
 		goto out_err;
 	}
 
@@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@
 
 out_err_cpu_topo: {
 	char errbuf[BUFSIZ];
-	const char *err = strerror_r(-ret, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf));
+	const char *err = str_error_r(-ret, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf));
 
 	ui__error("Could not read the CPU topology map: %s\n", err);
 	goto out_delete;
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@
 
 	if (perf_evlist__create_maps(top.evlist, target) < 0) {
 		ui__error("Couldn't create thread/CPU maps: %s\n",
-			  errno == ENOENT ? "No such process" : strerror_r(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+			  errno == ENOENT ? "No such process" : str_error_r(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index cf90de8..e7e0b6e3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -1601,7 +1601,7 @@
 		fprintf(trace->output, ") = %ld", ret);
 	} else if (ret < 0 && (sc->fmt->errmsg || sc->fmt->errpid)) {
 		char bf[STRERR_BUFSIZE];
-		const char *emsg = strerror_r(-ret, bf, sizeof(bf)),
+		const char *emsg = str_error_r(-ret, bf, sizeof(bf)),
 			   *e = audit_errno_to_name(-ret);
 
 		fprintf(trace->output, ") = -1 %s %s", e, emsg);
@@ -2402,7 +2402,7 @@
 	fprintf(trace->output,
 		"Failed to set filter \"%s\" on event %s with %d (%s)\n",
 		evsel->filter, perf_evsel__name(evsel), errno,
-		strerror_r(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+		str_error_r(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
 	goto out_delete_evlist;
 }
 out_error_mem:
diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.c b/tools/perf/perf.c
index 8f21922..f7d7dbb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@
 	/* Check for ENOSPC and EIO errors.. */
 	if (fflush(stdout)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "write failure on standard output: %s",
-			strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out;
 	}
 	if (ferror(stdout)) {
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@
 	}
 	if (fclose(stdout)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "close failed on standard output: %s",
-			strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out;
 	}
 	status = 0;
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@
 	}
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "Failed to run command '%s': %s\n",
-		cmd, strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		cmd, str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 out:
 	return 1;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c b/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
index e70313f..f20ea4c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, mmap_pages, true);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__mmap: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return TEST_FAIL;
 	}
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/bpf.c b/tools/perf/tests/bpf.c
index f31eed3..da0d87613 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/bpf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/bpf.c
@@ -143,14 +143,14 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
 	err = perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, opts.mmap_pages, false);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__mmap: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/builtin-test.c b/tools/perf/tests/builtin-test.c
index 07c14e9..c23cbf7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/builtin-test.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/builtin-test.c
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@
 
 	if (child < 0) {
 		pr_err("failed to fork test: %s\n",
-			strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c b/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c
index 9f5698a..19ef77b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/event-times.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return err;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c b/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c
index aea33f5..5c9b931 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/mmap-basic.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 	sched_setaffinity(0, sizeof(cpu_set), &cpu_set);
 	if (sched_setaffinity(0, sizeof(cpu_set), &cpu_set) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("sched_setaffinity() failed on CPU %d: %s ",
-			 cpus->map[0], strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 cpus->map[0], str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_free_cpus;
 	}
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 		if (perf_evsel__open(evsels[i], cpus, threads) < 0) {
 			pr_debug("failed to open counter: %s, "
 				 "tweak /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid?\n",
-				 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+				 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 			goto out_delete_evlist;
 		}
 
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
 
 	if (perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, 128, true) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap events: %d (%s)\n", errno,
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-all-cpus.c b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-all-cpus.c
index ad1cb63..265abb1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-all-cpus.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-all-cpus.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 	if (perf_evsel__open(evsel, cpus, threads) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to open counter: %s, "
 			 "tweak /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid?\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_evsel_delete;
 	}
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 		if (sched_setaffinity(0, sizeof(cpu_set), &cpu_set) < 0) {
 			pr_debug("sched_setaffinity() failed on CPU %d: %s ",
 				 cpus->map[cpu],
-				 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+				 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 			goto out_close_fd;
 		}
 		for (i = 0; i < ncalls; ++i) {
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c
index 4344fe4..942dbf4 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall-tp-fields.c
@@ -51,14 +51,14 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
 	err = perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, UINT_MAX, false);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__mmap: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall.c b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall.c
index 1184f9b..d741412 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/openat-syscall.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 	if (perf_evsel__open_per_thread(evsel, threads) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to open counter: %s, "
 			 "tweak /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid?\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_evsel_delete;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
index b836ee6a..3eb67a9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
 	err = sched__get_first_possible_cpu(evlist->workload.pid, &cpu_mask);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("sched__get_first_possible_cpu: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
 	 */
 	if (sched_setaffinity(evlist->workload.pid, cpu_mask_size, &cpu_mask) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("sched_setaffinity: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__open: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, opts.mmap_pages, false);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("perf_evlist__mmap: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c b/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
index 36e8ce1..4c9fd04 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 
 		err = -errno;
 		pr_debug("Couldn't open evlist: %s\nHint: check %s, using %" PRIu64 " in this test.\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)),
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)),
 			 knob, (u64)attr.sample_freq);
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, 128, true);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap event: %d (%s)\n", errno,
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
index 2dfff7a..01a5ba2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/task-exit.c
@@ -91,13 +91,13 @@
 	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		pr_debug("Couldn't open the evlist: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
 	if (perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, 128, true) < 0) {
 		pr_debug("failed to mmap events: %d (%s)\n", errno,
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
index e08b8f7..13d4143 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
@@ -2029,7 +2029,7 @@
 	fp = fopen(filename, "w");
 	if (fp == NULL) {
 		char bf[64];
-		const char *err = strerror_r(errno, bf, sizeof(bf));
+		const char *err = str_error_r(errno, bf, sizeof(bf));
 		ui_helpline__fpush("Couldn't write to %s: %s", filename, err);
 		return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/Build b/tools/perf/util/Build
index fced833..a6a8053 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/Build
+++ b/tools/perf/util/Build
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 libperf-y += stat-shadow.o
 libperf-y += record.o
 libperf-y += srcline.o
+libperf-y += str_error_r.o
 libperf-y += data.o
 libperf-y += tsc.o
 libperf-y += cloexec.o
@@ -173,6 +174,10 @@
 	$(call rule_mkdir)
 	$(call if_changed_dep,cc_o_c)
 
+$(OUTPUT)util/str_error_r.o: ../lib/str_error_r.c FORCE
+	$(call rule_mkdir)
+	$(call if_changed_dep,cc_o_c)
+
 $(OUTPUT)util/hweight.o: ../lib/hweight.c FORCE
 	$(call rule_mkdir)
 	$(call if_changed_dep,cc_o_c)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/bpf-loader.c b/tools/perf/util/bpf-loader.c
index dcc8845..8445e89 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/bpf-loader.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/bpf-loader.c
@@ -1589,7 +1589,7 @@
 		snprintf(buf, size, "Unknown bpf loader error %d", err);
 	else
 		snprintf(buf, size, "%s",
-			 strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 
 	buf[size - 1] = '\0';
 	return -1;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c b/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c
index 2babdda..fde772d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 
 	WARN_ONCE(err != EINVAL && err != EBUSY,
 		  "perf_event_open(..., PERF_FLAG_FD_CLOEXEC) failed with unexpected error %d (%s)\n",
-		  err, strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		  err, str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 
 	/* not supported, confirm error related to PERF_FLAG_FD_CLOEXEC */
 	while (1) {
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 
 	if (WARN_ONCE(fd < 0 && err != EBUSY,
 		      "perf_event_open(..., 0) failed unexpectedly with error %d (%s)\n",
-		      err, strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf))))
+		      err, str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf))))
 		return -1;
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/data.c b/tools/perf/util/data.c
index be835161..60bfc9c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/data.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/data.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 		int err = errno;
 
 		pr_err("failed to open %s: %s", file->path,
-			strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		if (err == ENOENT && !strcmp(file->path, "perf.data"))
 			pr_err("  (try 'perf record' first)");
 		pr_err("\n");
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
 
 	if (fd < 0)
 		pr_err("failed to open %s : %s\n", file->path,
-			strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 
 	return fd;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/debug.h b/tools/perf/util/debug.h
index 14bafda..d242adc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/debug.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/debug.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 #define pr_oe_time(t, fmt, ...)  pr_time_N(1, debug_ordered_events, t, pr_fmt(fmt), ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #define pr_oe_time2(t, fmt, ...) pr_time_N(2, debug_ordered_events, t, pr_fmt(fmt), ##__VA_ARGS__)
 
-#define STRERR_BUFSIZE	128	/* For the buffer size of strerror_r */
+#define STRERR_BUFSIZE	128	/* For the buffer size of str_error_r */
 
 int dump_printf(const char *fmt, ...) __attribute__((format(printf, 1, 2)));
 void trace_event(union perf_event *event);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.c b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
index e1de6cc..774f6ec 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@
 			return fd;
 
 		pr_debug("dso open failed: %s\n",
-			 strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			 str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		if (!dso__data_open_cnt || errno != EMFILE)
 			break;
 
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@
 	if (fstat(dso->data.fd, &st) < 0) {
 		ret = -errno;
 		pr_err("dso cache fstat failed: %s\n",
-		       strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+		       str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		dso->data.status = DSO_DATA_STATUS_ERROR;
 		goto out;
 	}
@@ -1366,7 +1366,7 @@
 	BUG_ON(buflen == 0);
 
 	if (errnum >= 0) {
-		const char *err = strerror_r(errnum, buf, buflen);
+		const char *err = str_error_r(errnum, buf, buflen);
 
 		if (err != buf)
 			scnprintf(buf, buflen, "%s", err);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index 1135077..f2d478d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -1790,7 +1790,7 @@
 			       int err, char *buf, size_t size)
 {
 	int printed, value;
-	char sbuf[STRERR_BUFSIZE], *emsg = strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf));
+	char sbuf[STRERR_BUFSIZE], *emsg = str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf));
 
 	switch (err) {
 	case EACCES:
@@ -1842,7 +1842,7 @@
 
 int perf_evlist__strerror_mmap(struct perf_evlist *evlist, int err, char *buf, size_t size)
 {
-	char sbuf[STRERR_BUFSIZE], *emsg = strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf));
+	char sbuf[STRERR_BUFSIZE], *emsg = str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf));
 	int pages_attempted = evlist->mmap_len / 1024, pages_max_per_user, printed = 0;
 
 	switch (err) {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 0fea724..d8c2298 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -2419,7 +2419,7 @@
 	"The sys_perf_event_open() syscall returned with %d (%s) for event (%s).\n"
 	"/bin/dmesg may provide additional information.\n"
 	"No CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS=y kernel support configured?",
-			 err, strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)),
+			 err, str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)),
 			 perf_evsel__name(evsel));
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/llvm-utils.c b/tools/perf/util/llvm-utils.c
index 40b6f72..282c30f6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/llvm-utils.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/llvm-utils.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
 	file = popen(cmd, "r");
 	if (!file) {
 		pr_err("ERROR: unable to popen cmd: %s\n",
-		       strerror_r(errno, serr, sizeof(serr)));
+		       str_error_r(errno, serr, sizeof(serr)));
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 
 	if (ferror(file)) {
 		pr_err("ERROR: error occurred when reading from pipe: %s\n",
-		       strerror_r(errno, serr, sizeof(serr)));
+		       str_error_r(errno, serr, sizeof(serr)));
 		err = -EIO;
 		goto errout;
 	}
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@
 	if (path[0] != '-' && realpath(path, abspath) == NULL) {
 		err = errno;
 		pr_err("ERROR: problems with path %s: %s\n",
-		       path, strerror_r(err, serr, sizeof(serr)));
+		       path, str_error_r(err, serr, sizeof(serr)));
 		return -err;
 	}
 
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@
 	if (nr_cpus_avail <= 0) {
 		pr_err(
 "WARNING:\tunable to get available CPUs in this system: %s\n"
-"        \tUse 128 instead.\n", strerror_r(errno, serr, sizeof(serr)));
+"        \tUse 128 instead.\n", str_error_r(errno, serr, sizeof(serr)));
 		nr_cpus_avail = 128;
 	}
 	snprintf(nr_cpus_avail_str, sizeof(nr_cpus_avail_str), "%d",
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c b/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c
index 0201f66..2b222a7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/probe-event.c
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@
 		err = kernel_get_module_dso(module, &dso);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			if (!dso || dso->load_errno == 0) {
-				if (!strerror_r(-err, reason, STRERR_BUFSIZE))
+				if (!str_error_r(-err, reason, STRERR_BUFSIZE))
 					strcpy(reason, "(unknown)");
 			} else
 				dso__strerror_load(dso, reason, STRERR_BUFSIZE);
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@
 error:
 	if (ferror(fp)) {
 		pr_warning("File read error: %s\n",
-			   strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return -1;
 	}
 	return 0;
@@ -886,7 +886,7 @@
 	fp = fopen(lr->path, "r");
 	if (fp == NULL) {
 		pr_warning("Failed to open %s: %s\n", lr->path,
-			   strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return -errno;
 	}
 	/* Skip to starting line number */
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/probe-file.c b/tools/perf/util/probe-file.c
index 5b563b2..98398b5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/probe-file.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/probe-file.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 	else
 		pr_warning("Failed to open %cprobe_events: %s\n",
 			   uprobe ? 'u' : 'k',
-			   strerror_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(-err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 }
 
 static void print_both_open_warning(int kerr, int uerr)
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@
 	else {
 		char sbuf[STRERR_BUFSIZE];
 		pr_warning("Failed to open kprobe events: %s.\n",
-			   strerror_r(-kerr, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(-kerr, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		pr_warning("Failed to open uprobe events: %s.\n",
-			   strerror_r(-uerr, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(-uerr, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
 		if (write(fd, buf, strlen(buf)) < (int)strlen(buf)) {
 			ret = -errno;
 			pr_warning("Failed to write event: %s\n",
-				   strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+				   str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		}
 	}
 	free(buf);
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@
 	return 0;
 error:
 	pr_warning("Failed to delete event: %s\n",
-		   strerror_r(-ret, buf, sizeof(buf)));
+		   str_error_r(-ret, buf, sizeof(buf)));
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/probe-finder.c b/tools/perf/util/probe-finder.c
index 1259839..f2d9ff0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/probe-finder.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/probe-finder.c
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@
 		if (ret >= 16)
 			ret = -E2BIG;
 		pr_warning("Failed to convert variable type: %s\n",
-			   strerror_r(-ret, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(-ret, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return ret;
 	}
 	tvar->type = strdup(buf);
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@
 	fp = fopen(fname, "r");
 	if (!fp) {
 		pr_warning("Failed to open %s: %s\n", fname,
-			   strerror_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
+			   str_error_r(errno, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 		return -errno;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/python-ext-sources b/tools/perf/util/python-ext-sources
index 36c6862..49210b7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/python-ext-sources
+++ b/tools/perf/util/python-ext-sources
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 ../lib/bitmap.c
 ../lib/find_bit.c
 ../lib/hweight.c
+../lib/str_error_r.c
 util/thread_map.c
 util/util.c
 util/xyarray.c
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/target.c b/tools/perf/util/target.c
index a53603b..5898af4 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/target.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/target.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 	BUG_ON(buflen == 0);
 
 	if (errnum >= 0) {
-		const char *err = strerror_r(errnum, buf, buflen);
+		const char *err = str_error_r(errnum, buf, buflen);
 
 		if (err != buf)
 			scnprintf(buf, buflen, "%s", err);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/util.h b/tools/perf/util/util.h
index 1e8c316..2370cfb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/util.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/util.h
@@ -360,4 +360,5 @@
 void print_binary(unsigned char *data, size_t len,
 		  size_t bytes_per_line, print_binary_t printer,
 		  void *extra);
+
 #endif /* GIT_COMPAT_UTIL_H */