diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-regs-options.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-regs-options.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f2c1c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-regs-options.c
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#include "perf.h"
+#include "util/util.h"
+#include "util/debug.h"
+#include "util/parse-options.h"
+#include "util/parse-regs-options.h"
+
+int
+parse_regs(const struct option *opt, const char *str, int unset)
+{
+	uint64_t *mode = (uint64_t *)opt->value;
+	const struct sample_reg *r;
+	char *s, *os = NULL, *p;
+	int ret = -1;
+
+	if (unset)
+		return 0;
+
+	/*
+	 * cannot set it twice
+	 */
+	if (*mode)
+		return -1;
+
+	/* str may be NULL in case no arg is passed to -I */
+	if (str) {
+		/* because str is read-only */
+		s = os = strdup(str);
+		if (!s)
+			return -1;
+
+		for (;;) {
+			p = strchr(s, ',');
+			if (p)
+				*p = '\0';
+
+			if (!strcmp(s, "?")) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "available registers: ");
+				for (r = sample_reg_masks; r->name; r++) {
+					fprintf(stderr, "%s ", r->name);
+				}
+				fputc('\n', stderr);
+				/* just printing available regs */
+				return -1;
+			}
+			for (r = sample_reg_masks; r->name; r++) {
+				if (!strcasecmp(s, r->name))
+					break;
+			}
+			if (!r->name) {
+				ui__warning("unknown register %s,"
+					    " check man page\n", s);
+				goto error;
+			}
+
+			*mode |= r->mask;
+
+			if (!p)
+				break;
+
+			s = p + 1;
+		}
+	}
+	ret = 0;
+
+	/* default to all possible regs */
+	if (*mode == 0)
+		*mode = PERF_REGS_MASK;
+error:
+	free(os);
+	return ret;
+}