diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/cs-etm.c b/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/cs-etm.c
index ede040cf82ad..2898cfdf8fe1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/cs-etm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/cs-etm.c
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ static int cs_etm_set_sink_attr(struct perf_pmu *pmu,
 		if (term->type != PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_DRV_CFG)
 			continue;
 
-		sink = term->val.drv_cfg;
+		sink = term->val.str;
 		snprintf(path, PATH_MAX, "sinks/%s", sink);
 
 		ret = perf_pmu__scan_file(pmu, path, "%x", &hash);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 795e353de095..459be44ca2ff 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ static int perf_top__overwrite_check(struct perf_top *top)
 		config_terms = &evsel->config_terms;
 		list_for_each_entry(term, config_terms, list) {
 			if (term->type == PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_OVERWRITE)
-				set = term->val.overwrite ? 1 : 0;
+				set = term->val.num ? 1 : 0;
 		}
 
 		/* no term for current and previous event (likely) */
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
index eb087e7df6f4..a5c945aadfa7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ int auxtrace_parse_sample_options(struct auxtrace_record *itr,
 		term = perf_evsel__get_config_term(evsel, AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE);
 		if (term) {
 			has_aux_sample_size = true;
-			evsel->core.attr.aux_sample_size = term->val.aux_sample_size;
+			evsel->core.attr.aux_sample_size = term->val.num;
 			/* If possible, group with the AUX event */
 			if (aux_evsel && evsel->core.attr.aux_sample_size)
 				perf_evlist__regroup(evlist, aux_evsel, evsel);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index a69e64236120..5f27f6b7ed94 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -789,43 +789,43 @@ static void apply_config_terms(struct evsel *evsel,
 		switch (term->type) {
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_PERIOD:
 			if (!(term->weak && opts->user_interval != ULLONG_MAX)) {
-				attr->sample_period = term->val.period;
+				attr->sample_period = term->val.num;
 				attr->freq = 0;
 				perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(evsel, PERIOD);
 			}
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_FREQ:
 			if (!(term->weak && opts->user_freq != UINT_MAX)) {
-				attr->sample_freq = term->val.freq;
+				attr->sample_freq = term->val.num;
 				attr->freq = 1;
 				perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, PERIOD);
 			}
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_TIME:
-			if (term->val.time)
+			if (term->val.num)
 				perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, TIME);
 			else
 				perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(evsel, TIME);
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_CALLGRAPH:
-			callgraph_buf = term->val.callgraph;
+			callgraph_buf = term->val.str;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_BRANCH:
-			if (term->val.branch && strcmp(term->val.branch, "no")) {
+			if (term->val.str && strcmp(term->val.str, "no")) {
 				perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, BRANCH_STACK);
-				parse_branch_str(term->val.branch,
+				parse_branch_str(term->val.str,
 						 &attr->branch_sample_type);
 			} else
 				perf_evsel__reset_sample_bit(evsel, BRANCH_STACK);
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_STACK_USER:
-			dump_size = term->val.stack_user;
+			dump_size = term->val.num;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_MAX_STACK:
-			max_stack = term->val.max_stack;
+			max_stack = term->val.num;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_MAX_EVENTS:
-			evsel->max_events = term->val.max_events;
+			evsel->max_events = term->val.num;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_INHERIT:
 			/*
@@ -834,17 +834,17 @@ static void apply_config_terms(struct evsel *evsel,
 			 * inherit using config terms, override global
 			 * opt->no_inherit setting.
 			 */
-			attr->inherit = term->val.inherit ? 1 : 0;
+			attr->inherit = term->val.num ? 1 : 0;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_OVERWRITE:
-			attr->write_backward = term->val.overwrite ? 1 : 0;
+			attr->write_backward = term->val.num ? 1 : 0;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_DRV_CFG:
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_PERCORE:
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_AUX_OUTPUT:
-			attr->aux_output = term->val.aux_output ? 1 : 0;
+			attr->aux_output = term->val.num ? 1 : 0;
 			break;
 		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE:
 			/* Already applied by auxtrace */
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel_config.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel_config.h
index 1f8d2fe0b66e..4e5b3ebf09cf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel_config.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel_config.h
@@ -33,21 +33,8 @@ struct perf_evsel_config_term {
 	struct list_head      list;
 	enum evsel_term_type  type;
 	union {
-		u64	      period;
-		u64	      freq;
-		bool	      time;
-		char	      *callgraph;
-		char	      *drv_cfg;
-		u64	      stack_user;
-		int	      max_stack;
-		bool	      inherit;
-		bool	      overwrite;
-		char	      *branch;
-		unsigned long max_events;
-		bool	      percore;
-		bool	      aux_output;
-		u32	      aux_sample_size;
-		u64	      cfg_chg;
+		u64	      num;
+		char	      *str;
 	} val;
 	bool weak;
 };
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index ed7c008b9c8b..caf38518762f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1219,8 +1219,7 @@ static int config_attr(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
 static int get_config_terms(struct list_head *head_config,
 			    struct list_head *head_terms __maybe_unused)
 {
-#define ADD_CONFIG_TERM(__type, __name, __val)			\
-do {								\
+#define ADD_CONFIG_TERM(__type)					\
 	struct perf_evsel_config_term *__t;			\
 								\
 	__t = zalloc(sizeof(*__t));				\
@@ -1229,9 +1228,19 @@ do {								\
 								\
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&__t->list);				\
 	__t->type       = PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_ ## __type;	\
-	__t->val.__name = __val;				\
 	__t->weak	= term->weak;				\
-	list_add_tail(&__t->list, head_terms);			\
+	list_add_tail(&__t->list, head_terms)
+
+#define ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(__type, __val)			\
+do {								\
+	ADD_CONFIG_TERM(__type);				\
+	__t->val.num = __val;					\
+} while (0)
+
+#define ADD_CONFIG_TERM_STR(__type, __val)			\
+do {								\
+	ADD_CONFIG_TERM(__type);				\
+	__t->val.str = __val;					\
 } while (0)
 
 	struct parse_events_term *term;
@@ -1239,53 +1248,53 @@ do {								\
 	list_for_each_entry(term, head_config, list) {
 		switch (term->type_term) {
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_SAMPLE_PERIOD:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(PERIOD, period, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(PERIOD, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_SAMPLE_FREQ:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(FREQ, freq, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(FREQ, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_TIME:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(TIME, time, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(TIME, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_CALLGRAPH:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(CALLGRAPH, callgraph, term->val.str);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_STR(CALLGRAPH, term->val.str);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_BRANCH_SAMPLE_TYPE:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(BRANCH, branch, term->val.str);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_STR(BRANCH, term->val.str);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_STACKSIZE:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(STACK_USER, stack_user, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(STACK_USER, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_INHERIT:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(INHERIT, inherit, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(INHERIT, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOINHERIT:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(INHERIT, inherit, term->val.num ? 0 : 1);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(INHERIT, term->val.num ? 0 : 1);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_STACK:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(MAX_STACK, max_stack, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(MAX_STACK, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_EVENTS:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(MAX_EVENTS, max_events, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(MAX_EVENTS, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(OVERWRITE, overwrite, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(OVERWRITE, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(OVERWRITE, overwrite, term->val.num ? 0 : 1);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(OVERWRITE, term->val.num ? 0 : 1);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_DRV_CFG:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(DRV_CFG, drv_cfg, term->val.str);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_STR(DRV_CFG, term->val.str);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_PERCORE:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(PERCORE, percore,
-					term->val.num ? true : false);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(PERCORE,
+					    term->val.num ? true : false);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_AUX_OUTPUT:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(AUX_OUTPUT, aux_output, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(AUX_OUTPUT, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
 			break;
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE:
-			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE, aux_sample_size, term->val.num);
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE, term->val.num);
 			break;
 		default:
 			break;
@@ -1322,7 +1331,7 @@ static int get_config_chgs(struct perf_pmu *pmu, struct list_head *head_config,
 	}
 
 	if (bits)
-		ADD_CONFIG_TERM(CFG_CHG, cfg_chg, bits);
+		ADD_CONFIG_TERM_VAL(CFG_CHG, bits);
 
 #undef ADD_CONFIG_TERM
 	return 0;
@@ -1387,7 +1396,7 @@ static bool config_term_percore(struct list_head *config_terms)
 
 	list_for_each_entry(term, config_terms, list) {
 		if (term->type == PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_PERCORE)
-			return term->val.percore;
+			return term->val.num;
 	}
 
 	return false;
