diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
index cad8e37f05d9..a4268cab1921 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ struct hist_browser {
 	struct map_symbol   *selection;
 	int		     print_seq;
 	bool		     show_dso;
-	bool		     has_symbols;
 };
 
 extern void hist_browser__init_hpp(void);
@@ -1155,10 +1154,6 @@ static struct hist_browser *hist_browser__new(struct hists *hists)
 		browser->b.refresh = hist_browser__refresh;
 		browser->b.seek = ui_browser__hists_seek;
 		browser->b.use_navkeypressed = true;
-		if (sort__mode == SORT_MODE__BRANCH)
-			browser->has_symbols = sort_sym_from.list.next != NULL;
-		else
-			browser->has_symbols = sort_sym.list.next != NULL;
 	}
 
 	return browser;
@@ -1386,7 +1381,7 @@ static int perf_evsel__hists_browse(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int nr_events,
 			 */
 			goto out_free_stack;
 		case 'a':
-			if (!browser->has_symbols) {
+			if (!sort__has_sym) {
 				ui_browser__warning(&browser->b, delay_secs * 2,
 			"Annotation is only available for symbolic views, "
 			"include \"sym*\" in --sort to use it.");
@@ -1485,7 +1480,7 @@ static int perf_evsel__hists_browse(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int nr_events,
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (!browser->has_symbols)
+		if (!sort__has_sym)
 			goto add_exit_option;
 
 		if (sort__mode == SORT_MODE__BRANCH) {