diff --git a/lib/libpmc/libpmc.c b/lib/libpmc/libpmc.c
--- a/lib/libpmc/libpmc.c
+++ b/lib/libpmc/libpmc.c
@@ -1091,11 +1091,6 @@
 			assert(pmc_config.pm_ev < PMC_EVENT_FIRST);
 			goto found;
 		}
-
-		/* Otherwise, reset any changes */
-		pmc_config.pm_ev = 0;
-		pmc_config.pm_caps = 0;
-		pmc_config.pm_class = 0;
 	}
 	free(spec_copy);
 	spec_copy = NULL;
diff --git a/lib/libpmc/libpmc_pmu_util.c b/lib/libpmc/libpmc_pmu_util.c
--- a/lib/libpmc/libpmc_pmu_util.c
+++ b/lib/libpmc/libpmc_pmu_util.c
@@ -572,8 +572,8 @@
 	return (0);
 }
 
-int
-pmc_pmu_pmcallocate(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
+static int
+pmc_pmu_pmcallocate_md(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
 {
 	const struct pmu_event *pe;
 	struct pmu_event_desc ped;
@@ -604,8 +604,8 @@
 
 #elif defined(__powerpc64__)
 
-int
-pmc_pmu_pmcallocate(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
+static int
+pmc_pmu_pmcallocate_md(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
 {
 	const struct pmu_event *pe;
 	struct pmu_event_desc ped;
@@ -631,8 +631,8 @@
 
 #elif defined(__aarch64__)
 
-int
-pmc_pmu_pmcallocate(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
+static int
+pmc_pmu_pmcallocate_md(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
 {
 	const struct pmu_event *pe;
 	struct pmu_event_desc ped;
@@ -658,9 +658,27 @@
 
 #else
 
-int
-pmc_pmu_pmcallocate(const char *e __unused, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *p __unused)
+static int
+pmc_pmu_pmcallocate_md(const char *e __unused, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *p __unused)
 {
 	return (EOPNOTSUPP);
 }
 #endif
+
+int
+pmc_pmu_pmcallocate(const char *event_name, struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *pm)
+{
+	int error;
+
+	error = pmc_pmu_pmcallocate_md(event_name, pm);
+	if (error != 0) {
+		/* Reset any changes. */
+		pm->pm_ev = 0;
+		pm->pm_caps = 0;
+		pm->pm_class = 0;
+
+		return (error);
+	}
+
+	return (0);
+}