diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm-decoder/cs-etm-decoder.c b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm-decoder/cs-etm-decoder.c
index 938def6d0bb9..f540037eb705 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm-decoder/cs-etm-decoder.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm-decoder/cs-etm-decoder.c
@@ -278,14 +278,12 @@ cs_etm_decoder__buffer_packet(struct cs_etm_decoder *decoder,
 			      enum cs_etm_sample_type sample_type)
 {
 	u32 et = 0;
-	struct int_node *inode = NULL;
+	int cpu;
 
 	if (decoder->packet_count >= MAX_BUFFER - 1)
 		return OCSD_RESP_FATAL_SYS_ERR;
 
-	/* Search the RB tree for the cpu associated with this traceID */
-	inode = intlist__find(traceid_list, trace_chan_id);
-	if (!inode)
+	if (cs_etm__get_cpu(trace_chan_id, &cpu) < 0)
 		return OCSD_RESP_FATAL_SYS_ERR;
 
 	et = decoder->tail;
@@ -296,7 +294,7 @@ cs_etm_decoder__buffer_packet(struct cs_etm_decoder *decoder,
 	decoder->packet_buffer[et].sample_type = sample_type;
 	decoder->packet_buffer[et].exc = false;
 	decoder->packet_buffer[et].exc_ret = false;
-	decoder->packet_buffer[et].cpu = *((int *)inode->priv);
+	decoder->packet_buffer[et].cpu = cpu;
 	decoder->packet_buffer[et].start_addr = CS_ETM_INVAL_ADDR;
 	decoder->packet_buffer[et].end_addr = CS_ETM_INVAL_ADDR;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
index 7b5e15cc6b71..5cde3956e19a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
@@ -91,6 +91,20 @@ static int cs_etm__update_queues(struct cs_etm_auxtrace *etm);
 static int cs_etm__process_timeless_queues(struct cs_etm_auxtrace *etm,
 					   pid_t tid, u64 time_);
 
+int cs_etm__get_cpu(u8 trace_chan_id, int *cpu)
+{
+	struct int_node *inode;
+	u64 *metadata;
+
+	inode = intlist__find(traceid_list, trace_chan_id);
+	if (!inode)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	metadata = inode->priv;
+	*cpu = (int)metadata[CS_ETM_CPU];
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static void cs_etm__packet_dump(const char *pkt_string)
 {
 	const char *color = PERF_COLOR_BLUE;
@@ -230,7 +244,7 @@ static void cs_etm__free(struct perf_session *session)
 	cs_etm__free_events(session);
 	session->auxtrace = NULL;
 
-	/* First remove all traceID/CPU# nodes for the RB tree */
+	/* First remove all traceID/metadata nodes for the RB tree */
 	intlist__for_each_entry_safe(inode, tmp, traceid_list)
 		intlist__remove(traceid_list, inode);
 	/* Then the RB tree itself */
@@ -1316,9 +1330,9 @@ int cs_etm__process_auxtrace_info(union perf_event *event,
 				    0xffffffff);
 
 	/*
-	 * Create an RB tree for traceID-CPU# tuple. Since the conversion has
-	 * to be made for each packet that gets decoded, optimizing access in
-	 * anything other than a sequential array is worth doing.
+	 * Create an RB tree for traceID-metadata tuple.  Since the conversion
+	 * has to be made for each packet that gets decoded, optimizing access
+	 * in anything other than a sequential array is worth doing.
 	 */
 	traceid_list = intlist__new(NULL);
 	if (!traceid_list) {
@@ -1384,8 +1398,8 @@ int cs_etm__process_auxtrace_info(union perf_event *event,
 			err = -EINVAL;
 			goto err_free_metadata;
 		}
-		/* All good, associate the traceID with the CPU# */
-		inode->priv = &metadata[j][CS_ETM_CPU];
+		/* All good, associate the traceID with the metadata pointer */
+		inode->priv = metadata[j];
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.h b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.h
index 37f8d48179ca..fb5fc6538b7f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ enum {
 	CS_ETMV4_PRIV_MAX,
 };
 
-/* RB tree for quick conversion between traceID and CPUs */
+/* RB tree for quick conversion between traceID and metadata pointers */
 struct intlist *traceid_list;
 
 #define KiB(x) ((x) * 1024)
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ static const u64 __perf_cs_etmv4_magic   = 0x4040404040404040ULL;
 #ifdef HAVE_CSTRACE_SUPPORT
 int cs_etm__process_auxtrace_info(union perf_event *event,
 				  struct perf_session *session);
+int cs_etm__get_cpu(u8 trace_chan_id, int *cpu);
 #else
 static inline int
 cs_etm__process_auxtrace_info(union perf_event *event __maybe_unused,
@@ -76,6 +77,12 @@ cs_etm__process_auxtrace_info(union perf_event *event __maybe_unused,
 {
 	return -1;
 }
+
+static inline int cs_etm__get_cpu(u8 trace_chan_id __maybe_unused,
+				  int *cpu __maybe_unused)
+{
+	return -1;
+}
 #endif
 
 #endif
