diff --git a/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c b/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c
index 3549180c7885d..b4cb3fe5cc254 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/bpf_lock_contention.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ static const char *lock_contention_get_name(struct lock_contention *con,
 
 		/* do not update idle comm which contains CPU number */
 		if (pid) {
-			struct thread *t = __machine__findnew_thread(machine, /*pid=*/-1, pid);
+			struct thread *t = machine__findnew_thread(machine, /*pid=*/-1, pid);
 
 			if (t == NULL)
 				return name;
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ int lock_contention_read(struct lock_contention *con)
 	account_end_timestamp(con);
 
 	if (con->aggr_mode == LOCK_AGGR_TASK) {
-		struct thread *idle = __machine__findnew_thread(machine,
+		struct thread *idle = machine__findnew_thread(machine,
 								/*pid=*/0,
 								/*tid=*/0);
 		thread__set_comm(idle, "swapper", /*timestamp=*/0);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index e072b2115b64f..224b53b4bfe22 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -43,8 +43,16 @@
 #include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/zalloc.h>
 
-static void __machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread_rb_node *nd,
-				     struct thread *th, bool lock);
+struct thread_rb_node {
+	struct rb_node rb_node;
+	struct thread *thread;
+};
+
+static struct threads_table_entry *threads__table(struct threads *threads, pid_t tid)
+{
+	/* Cast it to handle tid == -1 */
+	return &threads->table[(unsigned int)tid % THREADS__TABLE_SIZE];
+}
 
 static struct dso *machine__kernel_dso(struct machine *machine)
 {
@@ -58,35 +66,18 @@ static void dsos__init(struct dsos *dsos)
 	init_rwsem(&dsos->lock);
 }
 
-static void machine__threads_init(struct machine *machine)
+void threads__init(struct threads *threads)
 {
-	int i;
+	for (int i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
+		struct threads_table_entry *table = &threads->table[i];
 
-	for (i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
-		struct threads *threads = &machine->threads[i];
-		threads->entries = RB_ROOT_CACHED;
-		init_rwsem(&threads->lock);
-		threads->nr = 0;
-		threads->last_match = NULL;
+		table->entries = RB_ROOT_CACHED;
+		init_rwsem(&table->lock);
+		table->nr = 0;
+		table->last_match = NULL;
 	}
 }
 
-static int thread_rb_node__cmp_tid(const void *key, const struct rb_node *nd)
-{
-	int to_find = (int) *((pid_t *)key);
-
-	return to_find - (int)thread__tid(rb_entry(nd, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node)->thread);
-}
-
-static struct thread_rb_node *thread_rb_node__find(const struct thread *th,
-						   struct rb_root *tree)
-{
-	pid_t to_find = thread__tid(th);
-	struct rb_node *nd = rb_find(&to_find, tree, thread_rb_node__cmp_tid);
-
-	return rb_entry(nd, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node);
-}
-
 static int machine__set_mmap_name(struct machine *machine)
 {
 	if (machine__is_host(machine))
@@ -120,7 +111,7 @@ int machine__init(struct machine *machine, const char *root_dir, pid_t pid)
 	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&machine->rb_node);
 	dsos__init(&machine->dsos);
 
-	machine__threads_init(machine);
+	threads__init(&machine->threads);
 
 	machine->vdso_info = NULL;
 	machine->env = NULL;
@@ -219,29 +210,51 @@ static void dsos__exit(struct dsos *dsos)
 	exit_rwsem(&dsos->lock);
 }
 
-void machine__delete_threads(struct machine *machine)
+static void __threads_table_entry__set_last_match(struct threads_table_entry *table,
+						  struct thread *th);
+
+void threads__remove_all_threads(struct threads *threads)
 {
-	struct rb_node *nd;
-	int i;
+	for (int i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
+		struct threads_table_entry *table = &threads->table[i];
+		struct rb_node *nd;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
-		struct threads *threads = &machine->threads[i];
-		down_write(&threads->lock);
-		nd = rb_first_cached(&threads->entries);
+		down_write(&table->lock);
+		__threads_table_entry__set_last_match(table, NULL);
+		nd = rb_first_cached(&table->entries);
 		while (nd) {
 			struct thread_rb_node *trb = rb_entry(nd, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node);
 
 			nd = rb_next(nd);
-			__machine__remove_thread(machine, trb, trb->thread, false);
+			thread__put(trb->thread);
+			rb_erase_cached(&trb->rb_node, &table->entries);
+			RB_CLEAR_NODE(&trb->rb_node);
+			--table->nr;
+
+			free(trb);
 		}
-		up_write(&threads->lock);
+		assert(table->nr == 0);
+		up_write(&table->lock);
 	}
 }
 
-void machine__exit(struct machine *machine)
+void machine__delete_threads(struct machine *machine)
 {
-	int i;
+	threads__remove_all_threads(&machine->threads);
+}
+
+void threads__exit(struct threads *threads)
+{
+	threads__remove_all_threads(threads);
+	for (int i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
+		struct threads_table_entry *table = &threads->table[i];
+
+		exit_rwsem(&table->lock);
+	}
+}
 
+void machine__exit(struct machine *machine)
+{
 	if (machine == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -254,12 +267,7 @@ void machine__exit(struct machine *machine)
 	zfree(&machine->current_tid);
 	zfree(&machine->kallsyms_filename);
 
-	machine__delete_threads(machine);
-	for (i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
-		struct threads *threads = &machine->threads[i];
-
-		exit_rwsem(&threads->lock);
-	}
+	threads__exit(&machine->threads);
 }
 
 void machine__delete(struct machine *machine)
@@ -526,7 +534,7 @@ static void machine__update_thread_pid(struct machine *machine,
 	if (thread__pid(th) == thread__tid(th))
 		return;
 
-	leader = __machine__findnew_thread(machine, thread__pid(th), thread__pid(th));
+	leader = machine__findnew_thread(machine, thread__pid(th), thread__pid(th));
 	if (!leader)
 		goto out_err;
 
@@ -565,78 +573,88 @@ static void machine__update_thread_pid(struct machine *machine,
  * so most of the time we dont have to look up
  * the full rbtree:
  */
-static struct thread*
-__threads__get_last_match(struct threads *threads, struct machine *machine,
-			  int pid, int tid)
+static struct thread *__threads_table_entry__get_last_match(struct threads_table_entry *table,
+							    pid_t tid)
 {
-	struct thread *th;
+	struct thread *th, *res = NULL;
 
-	th = threads->last_match;
+	th = table->last_match;
 	if (th != NULL) {
-		if (thread__tid(th) == tid) {
-			machine__update_thread_pid(machine, th, pid);
-			return thread__get(th);
-		}
-		thread__put(threads->last_match);
-		threads->last_match = NULL;
+		if (thread__tid(th) == tid)
+			res = thread__get(th);
 	}
-
-	return NULL;
+	return res;
 }
 
-static struct thread*
-threads__get_last_match(struct threads *threads, struct machine *machine,
-			int pid, int tid)
+static void __threads_table_entry__set_last_match(struct threads_table_entry *table,
+						  struct thread *th)
 {
-	struct thread *th = NULL;
-
-	if (perf_singlethreaded)
-		th = __threads__get_last_match(threads, machine, pid, tid);
-
-	return th;
+	thread__put(table->last_match);
+	table->last_match = thread__get(th);
 }
 
-static void
-__threads__set_last_match(struct threads *threads, struct thread *th)
+static void threads_table_entry__set_last_match(struct threads_table_entry *table,
+						struct thread *th)
 {
-	thread__put(threads->last_match);
-	threads->last_match = thread__get(th);
+	down_write(&table->lock);
+	__threads_table_entry__set_last_match(table, th);
+	up_write(&table->lock);
 }
 
-static void
-threads__set_last_match(struct threads *threads, struct thread *th)
+struct thread *threads__find(struct threads *threads, pid_t tid)
 {
-	if (perf_singlethreaded)
-		__threads__set_last_match(threads, th);
+	struct threads_table_entry *table  = threads__table(threads, tid);
+	struct rb_node **p;
+	struct thread *res = NULL;
+
+	down_read(&table->lock);
+	res = __threads_table_entry__get_last_match(table, tid);
+	if (res)
+		return res;
+
+	p = &table->entries.rb_root.rb_node;
+	while (*p != NULL) {
+		struct rb_node *parent = *p;
+		struct thread *th = rb_entry(parent, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node)->thread;
+
+		if (thread__tid(th) == tid) {
+			res = thread__get(th);
+			break;
+		}
+
+		if (tid < thread__tid(th))
+			p = &(*p)->rb_left;
+		else
+			p = &(*p)->rb_right;
+	}
+	up_read(&table->lock);
+	if (res)
+		threads_table_entry__set_last_match(table, res);
+	return res;
 }
 
-/*
- * Caller must eventually drop thread->refcnt returned with a successful
- * lookup/new thread inserted.
- */
-static struct thread *____machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
-						  struct threads *threads,
-						  pid_t pid, pid_t tid,
-						  bool create)
+struct thread *threads__findnew(struct threads *threads, pid_t pid, pid_t tid, bool *created)
 {
-	struct rb_node **p = &threads->entries.rb_root.rb_node;
+	struct threads_table_entry *table  = threads__table(threads, tid);
+	struct rb_node **p;
 	struct rb_node *parent = NULL;
-	struct thread *th;
+	struct thread *res = NULL;
 	struct thread_rb_node *nd;
 	bool leftmost = true;
 
-	th = threads__get_last_match(threads, machine, pid, tid);
-	if (th)
-		return th;
-
+	*created = false;
+	down_write(&table->lock);
+	p = &table->entries.rb_root.rb_node;
 	while (*p != NULL) {
+		struct thread *th;
+
 		parent = *p;
 		th = rb_entry(parent, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node)->thread;
 
 		if (thread__tid(th) == tid) {
-			threads__set_last_match(threads, th);
-			machine__update_thread_pid(machine, th, pid);
-			return thread__get(th);
+			__threads_table_entry__set_last_match(table, th);
+			res = thread__get(th);
+			goto out_unlock;
 		}
 
 		if (tid < thread__tid(th))
@@ -646,74 +664,76 @@ static struct thread *____machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
 			leftmost = false;
 		}
 	}
+	nd = malloc(sizeof(*nd));
+	if (nd == NULL)
+		goto out_unlock;
+	res = thread__new(pid, tid);
+	if (!res)
+		free(nd);
+	else {
+		*created = true;
+		nd->thread = thread__get(res);
+		rb_link_node(&nd->rb_node, parent, p);
+		rb_insert_color_cached(&nd->rb_node, &table->entries, leftmost);
+		++table->nr;
+		__threads_table_entry__set_last_match(table, res);
+	}
+out_unlock:
+	up_write(&table->lock);
+	return res;
+}
 
-	if (!create)
-		return NULL;
-
-	th = thread__new(pid, tid);
-	if (th == NULL)
-		return NULL;
+/*
+ * Caller must eventually drop thread->refcnt returned with a successful
+ * lookup/new thread inserted.
+ */
+static struct thread *__machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine,
+						pid_t pid,
+						pid_t tid,
+						bool create)
+{
+	struct thread *th = threads__find(&machine->threads, tid);
+	bool created;
 
-	nd = malloc(sizeof(*nd));
-	if (nd == NULL) {
-		thread__put(th);
-		return NULL;
+	if (th) {
+		machine__update_thread_pid(machine, th, pid);
+		return th;
 	}
-	nd->thread = th;
 
-	rb_link_node(&nd->rb_node, parent, p);
-	rb_insert_color_cached(&nd->rb_node, &threads->entries, leftmost);
-	/*
-	 * We have to initialize maps separately after rb tree is updated.
-	 *
-	 * The reason is that we call machine__findnew_thread within
-	 * thread__init_maps to find the thread leader and that would screwed
-	 * the rb tree.
-	 */
-	if (thread__init_maps(th, machine)) {
-		pr_err("Thread init failed thread %d\n", pid);
-		rb_erase_cached(&nd->rb_node, &threads->entries);
-		RB_CLEAR_NODE(&nd->rb_node);
-		free(nd);
-		thread__put(th);
+	if (!create)
 		return NULL;
-	}
-	/*
-	 * It is now in the rbtree, get a ref
-	 */
-	threads__set_last_match(threads, th);
-	++threads->nr;
 
-	return thread__get(th);
-}
+	th = threads__findnew(&machine->threads, pid, tid, &created);
+	if (created) {
+		/*
+		 * We have to initialize maps separately after rb tree is
+		 * updated.
+		 *
+		 * The reason is that we call machine__findnew_thread within
+		 * thread__init_maps to find the thread leader and that would
+		 * screwed the rb tree.
+		 */
+		if (thread__init_maps(th, machine)) {
+			pr_err("Thread init failed thread %d\n", pid);
+			threads__remove(&machine->threads, th);
+			thread__put(th);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	} else
+		machine__update_thread_pid(machine, th, pid);
 
-struct thread *__machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine, pid_t pid, pid_t tid)
-{
-	return ____machine__findnew_thread(machine, machine__threads(machine, tid), pid, tid, true);
+	return th;
 }
 
-struct thread *machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine, pid_t pid,
-				       pid_t tid)
+struct thread *machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine, pid_t pid, pid_t tid)
 {
-	struct threads *threads = machine__threads(machine, tid);
-	struct thread *th;
-
-	down_write(&threads->lock);
-	th = __machine__findnew_thread(machine, pid, tid);
-	up_write(&threads->lock);
-	return th;
+	return __machine__findnew_thread(machine, pid, tid, /*create=*/true);
 }
 
 struct thread *machine__find_thread(struct machine *machine, pid_t pid,
 				    pid_t tid)
 {
-	struct threads *threads = machine__threads(machine, tid);
-	struct thread *th;
-
-	down_read(&threads->lock);
-	th =  ____machine__findnew_thread(machine, threads, pid, tid, false);
-	up_read(&threads->lock);
-	return th;
+	return __machine__findnew_thread(machine, pid, tid, /*create=*/false);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1127,13 +1147,17 @@ static int machine_fprintf_cb(struct thread *thread, void *data)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static size_t machine__threads_nr(const struct machine *machine)
+size_t threads__nr(struct threads *threads)
 {
 	size_t nr = 0;
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++)
-		nr += machine->threads[i].nr;
+	for (int i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
+		struct threads_table_entry *table = &threads->table[i];
 
+		down_read(&table->lock);
+		nr += table->nr;
+		up_read(&table->lock);
+	}
 	return nr;
 }
 
@@ -1143,7 +1167,7 @@ size_t machine__fprintf(struct machine *machine, FILE *fp)
 		.fp = fp,
 		.printed = 0,
 	};
-	size_t ret = fprintf(fp, "Threads: %zu\n", machine__threads_nr(machine));
+	size_t ret = fprintf(fp, "Threads: %zu\n", threads__nr(&machine->threads));
 
 	machine__for_each_thread(machine, machine_fprintf_cb, &args);
 	return ret + args.printed;
@@ -2069,36 +2093,42 @@ int machine__process_mmap_event(struct machine *machine, union perf_event *event
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void __machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread_rb_node *nd,
-				     struct thread *th, bool lock)
+void threads__remove(struct threads *threads, struct thread *thread)
 {
-	struct threads *threads = machine__threads(machine, thread__tid(th));
-
-	if (!nd)
-		nd = thread_rb_node__find(th, &threads->entries.rb_root);
+	struct rb_node **p;
+	struct threads_table_entry *table  = threads__table(threads, thread__tid(thread));
+	pid_t tid = thread__tid(thread);
 
-	if (threads->last_match && RC_CHK_EQUAL(threads->last_match, th))
-		threads__set_last_match(threads, NULL);
+	down_write(&table->lock);
+	if (table->last_match && RC_CHK_EQUAL(table->last_match, thread))
+		__threads_table_entry__set_last_match(table, NULL);
 
-	if (lock)
-		down_write(&threads->lock);
-
-	BUG_ON(refcount_read(thread__refcnt(th)) == 0);
-
-	thread__put(nd->thread);
-	rb_erase_cached(&nd->rb_node, &threads->entries);
-	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&nd->rb_node);
-	--threads->nr;
-
-	free(nd);
+	p = &table->entries.rb_root.rb_node;
+	while (*p != NULL) {
+		struct rb_node *parent = *p;
+		struct thread_rb_node *nd = rb_entry(parent, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node);
+		struct thread *th = nd->thread;
+
+		if (RC_CHK_EQUAL(th, thread)) {
+			thread__put(nd->thread);
+			rb_erase_cached(&nd->rb_node, &table->entries);
+			RB_CLEAR_NODE(&nd->rb_node);
+			--table->nr;
+			free(nd);
+			break;
+		}
 
-	if (lock)
-		up_write(&threads->lock);
+		if (tid < thread__tid(th))
+			p = &(*p)->rb_left;
+		else
+			p = &(*p)->rb_right;
+	}
+	up_write(&table->lock);
 }
 
 void machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread *th)
 {
-	return __machine__remove_thread(machine, NULL, th, true);
+	return threads__remove(&machine->threads, th);
 }
 
 int machine__process_fork_event(struct machine *machine, union perf_event *event,
@@ -3228,27 +3258,35 @@ int thread__resolve_callchain(struct thread *thread,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int machine__for_each_thread(struct machine *machine,
-			     int (*fn)(struct thread *thread, void *p),
-			     void *priv)
+int threads__for_each_thread(struct threads *threads,
+			     int (*fn)(struct thread *thread, void *data),
+			     void *data)
 {
-	struct threads *threads;
-	struct rb_node *nd;
-	int rc = 0;
-	int i;
+	for (int i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
+		struct threads_table_entry *table = &threads->table[i];
+		struct rb_node *nd;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < THREADS__TABLE_SIZE; i++) {
-		threads = &machine->threads[i];
-		for (nd = rb_first_cached(&threads->entries); nd;
-		     nd = rb_next(nd)) {
+		down_read(&table->lock);
+		for (nd = rb_first_cached(&table->entries); nd; nd = rb_next(nd)) {
 			struct thread_rb_node *trb = rb_entry(nd, struct thread_rb_node, rb_node);
+			int rc = fn(trb->thread, data);
 
-			rc = fn(trb->thread, priv);
-			if (rc != 0)
+			if (rc != 0) {
+				up_read(&table->lock);
 				return rc;
+			}
 		}
+		up_read(&table->lock);
 	}
-	return rc;
+	return 0;
+
+}
+
+int machine__for_each_thread(struct machine *machine,
+			     int (*fn)(struct thread *thread, void *p),
+			     void *priv)
+{
+	return threads__for_each_thread(&machine->threads, fn, priv);
 }
 
 int machines__for_each_thread(struct machines *machines,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.h b/tools/perf/util/machine.h
index b738ce84817ba..5b425b70140e0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.h
@@ -31,13 +31,28 @@ struct vdso_info;
 #define THREADS__TABLE_BITS	8
 #define THREADS__TABLE_SIZE	(1 << THREADS__TABLE_BITS)
 
-struct threads {
+struct threads_table_entry {
 	struct rb_root_cached  entries;
 	struct rw_semaphore    lock;
 	unsigned int	       nr;
 	struct thread	       *last_match;
 };
 
+struct threads {
+	struct threads_table_entry table[THREADS__TABLE_SIZE];
+};
+
+void threads__init(struct threads *threads);
+void threads__exit(struct threads *threads);
+size_t threads__nr(struct threads *threads);
+struct thread *threads__find(struct threads *threads, pid_t tid);
+struct thread *threads__findnew(struct threads *threads, pid_t pid, pid_t tid, bool *created);
+void threads__remove_all_threads(struct threads *threads);
+void threads__remove(struct threads *threads, struct thread *thread);
+int threads__for_each_thread(struct threads *threads,
+			     int (*fn)(struct thread *thread, void *data),
+			     void *data);
+
 struct machine {
 	struct rb_node	  rb_node;
 	pid_t		  pid;
@@ -48,7 +63,7 @@ struct machine {
 	char		  *root_dir;
 	char		  *mmap_name;
 	char		  *kallsyms_filename;
-	struct threads    threads[THREADS__TABLE_SIZE];
+	struct threads    threads;
 	struct vdso_info  *vdso_info;
 	struct perf_env   *env;
 	struct dsos	  dsos;
@@ -69,12 +84,6 @@ struct machine {
 	bool		  trampolines_mapped;
 };
 
-static inline struct threads *machine__threads(struct machine *machine, pid_t tid)
-{
-	/* Cast it to handle tid == -1 */
-	return &machine->threads[(unsigned int)tid % THREADS__TABLE_SIZE];
-}
-
 /*
  * The main kernel (vmlinux) map
  */
@@ -220,7 +229,6 @@ bool machine__is(struct machine *machine, const char *arch);
 bool machine__normalized_is(struct machine *machine, const char *arch);
 int machine__nr_cpus_avail(struct machine *machine);
 
-struct thread *__machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine, pid_t pid, pid_t tid);
 struct thread *machine__findnew_thread(struct machine *machine, pid_t pid, pid_t tid);
 
 struct dso *machine__findnew_dso_id(struct machine *machine, const char *filename, struct dso_id *id);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.c b/tools/perf/util/thread.c
index c59ab4d79163e..1aa8962dcf52c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ int thread__init_maps(struct thread *thread, struct machine *machine)
 	if (pid == thread__tid(thread) || pid == -1) {
 		thread__set_maps(thread, maps__new(machine));
 	} else {
-		struct thread *leader = __machine__findnew_thread(machine, pid, pid);
+		struct thread *leader = machine__findnew_thread(machine, pid, pid);
 
 		if (leader) {
 			thread__set_maps(thread, maps__get(thread__maps(leader)));
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.h b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
index df344262eaee0..8b4a3c69bad19 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #define __PERF_THREAD_H
 
 #include <linux/refcount.h>
-#include <linux/rbtree.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -29,11 +28,6 @@ struct lbr_stitch {
 	struct callchain_cursor_node	*prev_lbr_cursor;
 };
 
-struct thread_rb_node {
-	struct rb_node rb_node;
-	struct thread *thread;
-};
-
 DECLARE_RC_STRUCT(thread) {
 	/** @maps: mmaps associated with this thread. */
 	struct maps		*maps;