diff --git a/src/panfrost/perf/pan_gen_perf.py b/src/panfrost/perf/pan_gen_perf.py
index 43f058aa862..fad0a1c390c 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/perf/pan_gen_perf.py
+++ b/src/panfrost/perf/pan_gen_perf.py
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ def main():
             c.write(".symbol_name = \"%s\"," % (counter.underscore_name))
             c.write(".units = PAN_PERF_COUNTER_UNITS_%s," % (counter.units.upper()))
             c.write(".offset = %u," % (counter.offset))
-            c.write(".category_index = %s," % CATEGORY_IDX_REMAP[category.name])
+            c.write(".category = %s," % CATEGORY_IDX_REMAP[category.name])
 
             c.outdent(tab_size)
             c.write("}, // counter")
diff --git a/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.c b/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.c
index f1905aab02d..2a6c004443b 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.c
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ pan_perf_counter_read(const struct pan_perf *perf,
 
    assert(perf->session->data != NULL);
 
-   const uint32_t category = counter->category_index;
-   const uint32_t offset = perf->mem_layout.category[category].offset +
+   const uint32_t offset = perf->mem_layout.category[counter->category].offset +
                            perf->mem_layout.block_stride * block +
                            perf->mem_layout.counter_stride * counter->offset;
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ pan_perf_counter_read_block_sum(const struct pan_perf_counter *counter,
    int64_t ret = pan_perf_counter_read(perf, counter, 0);
 
    /* If counter belongs to shader core, sum values for all cores. */
-   if (counter->category_index == PAN_PERF_COUNTER_CAT_SHADER) {
+   if (counter->category == PAN_PERF_COUNTER_CAT_SHADER) {
       uint32_t n_cores =
          perf->mem_layout.category[PAN_PERF_COUNTER_CAT_SHADER].n_blocks;
       for (uint32_t core = 1; core < n_cores; ++core) {
diff --git a/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.h b/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.h
index 5be5dfd1265..89d665ec407 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.h
+++ b/src/panfrost/perf/pan_perf.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct pan_perf_counter {
    enum pan_perf_counter_units units;
    // Offset of this counter's value within the category
    uint32_t offset;
-   unsigned category_index;
+   enum pan_perf_counter_categories category;
 };
 
 struct pan_perf_category {