diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/perfctr.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/perfctr.c
index 518173ab..b9beb948 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/perfctr.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/perfctr.c
@@ -183,3 +183,8 @@ int ihk_mc_perfctr_fixed_init(int counter, int mode)
 {
 	return -1;
 }
+
+int ihk_mc_perf_get_num_counters(void)
+{
+	return cpu_pmu.per_cpu[ihk_mc_get_processor_id()].num_events;
+}
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/kernel/perfctr.c b/arch/x86_64/kernel/perfctr.c
index cc10f3c1..1075921a 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/kernel/perfctr.c
+++ b/arch/x86_64/kernel/perfctr.c
@@ -498,3 +498,8 @@ int ihk_mc_perfctr_alloc_counter(unsigned int *type, unsigned long *config, unsi
 
 	return ret;
 }
+
+int ihk_mc_perf_get_num_counters(void)
+{
+	return NUM_PERF_COUNTERS;
+}
diff --git a/kernel/syscall.c b/kernel/syscall.c
index 986f9ba1..8ae1f538 100644
--- a/kernel/syscall.c
+++ b/kernel/syscall.c
@@ -3768,9 +3768,10 @@ perf_counter_alloc(struct thread *thread)
 {
 	int ret = -EINVAL;
 	int i = 0;
+	const int counters = ihk_mc_perf_get_num_counters();
 
 	// find avail generic counter
-	for (i = 0; i < NUM_PERF_COUNTERS; i++) {
+	for (i = 0; i < counters; i++) {
 		if(!(thread->pmc_alloc_map & (1 << i))) {
 			ret = i;
 			break;
diff --git a/lib/include/ihk/perfctr.h b/lib/include/ihk/perfctr.h
index 89fdbb95..bd8fa16f 100644
--- a/lib/include/ihk/perfctr.h
+++ b/lib/include/ihk/perfctr.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ int ihk_mc_perfctr_read_mask(unsigned long counter_mask, unsigned long *value);
 unsigned long ihk_mc_perfctr_read(int counter);
 unsigned long ihk_mc_perfctr_read_msr(int counter);
 int ihk_mc_perfctr_alloc_counter(unsigned int *type, unsigned long *config, unsigned long pmc_status);
+int ihk_mc_perf_get_num_counters(void);
 
 #endif