diff --git a/include/drm-uapi/xe_drm.h b/include/drm-uapi/xe_drm.h
index a5f94bb6259..3bab3fdaa83 100644
--- a/include/drm-uapi/xe_drm.h
+++ b/include/drm-uapi/xe_drm.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ extern "C" {
  *  - &DRM_IOCTL_XE_EXEC_QUEUE_GET_PROPERTY
  *  - &DRM_IOCTL_XE_EXEC
  *  - &DRM_IOCTL_XE_WAIT_USER_FENCE
- *  - &DRM_IOCTL_XE_PERF
+ *  - &DRM_IOCTL_XE_OBSERVATION
  */
 
 /*
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define DRM_XE_EXEC_QUEUE_GET_PROPERTY	0x08
 #define DRM_XE_EXEC			0x09
 #define DRM_XE_WAIT_USER_FENCE		0x0a
-#define DRM_XE_PERF			0x0b
+#define DRM_XE_OBSERVATION		0x0b
 
 /* Must be kept compact -- no holes */
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define DRM_IOCTL_XE_EXEC_QUEUE_GET_PROPERTY	DRM_IOWR(DRM_COMMAND_BASE + DRM_XE_EXEC_QUEUE_GET_PROPERTY, struct drm_xe_exec_queue_get_property)
 #define DRM_IOCTL_XE_EXEC			DRM_IOW(DRM_COMMAND_BASE + DRM_XE_EXEC, struct drm_xe_exec)
 #define DRM_IOCTL_XE_WAIT_USER_FENCE		DRM_IOWR(DRM_COMMAND_BASE + DRM_XE_WAIT_USER_FENCE, struct drm_xe_wait_user_fence)
-#define DRM_IOCTL_XE_PERF			DRM_IOW(DRM_COMMAND_BASE + DRM_XE_PERF, struct drm_xe_perf_param)
+#define DRM_IOCTL_XE_OBSERVATION		DRM_IOW(DRM_COMMAND_BASE + DRM_XE_OBSERVATION, struct drm_xe_observation_param)
 
 /**
  * DOC: Xe IOCTL Extensions
@@ -1376,66 +1376,67 @@ struct drm_xe_wait_user_fence {
 };
 
 /**
- * enum drm_xe_perf_type - Perf stream types
+ * enum drm_xe_observation_type - Observation stream types
  */
-enum drm_xe_perf_type {
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_TYPE_OA: OA perf stream type */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_TYPE_OA,
+enum drm_xe_observation_type {
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_TYPE_OA: OA observation stream type */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_TYPE_OA,
 };
 
 /**
- * enum drm_xe_perf_op - Perf stream ops
+ * enum drm_xe_observation_op - Observation stream ops
  */
-enum drm_xe_perf_op {
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_OP_STREAM_OPEN: Open a perf counter stream */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_OP_STREAM_OPEN,
+enum drm_xe_observation_op {
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_STREAM_OPEN: Open an observation stream */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_STREAM_OPEN,
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_OP_ADD_CONFIG: Add perf stream config */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_OP_ADD_CONFIG,
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_ADD_CONFIG: Add observation stream config */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_ADD_CONFIG,
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_OP_REMOVE_CONFIG: Remove perf stream config */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_OP_REMOVE_CONFIG,
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_REMOVE_CONFIG: Remove observation stream config */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_REMOVE_CONFIG,
 };
 
 /**
- * struct drm_xe_perf_param - Input of &DRM_XE_PERF
+ * struct drm_xe_observation_param - Input of &DRM_XE_OBSERVATION
  *
- * The perf layer enables multiplexing perf counter streams of multiple
- * types. The actual params for a particular stream operation are supplied
- * via the @param pointer (use __copy_from_user to get these params).
+ * The observation layer enables multiplexing observation streams of
+ * multiple types. The actual params for a particular stream operation are
+ * supplied via the @param pointer (use __copy_from_user to get these
+ * params).
  */
-struct drm_xe_perf_param {
+struct drm_xe_observation_param {
 	/** @extensions: Pointer to the first extension struct, if any */
 	__u64 extensions;
-	/** @perf_type: Perf stream type, of enum @drm_xe_perf_type */
-	__u64 perf_type;
-	/** @perf_op: Perf op, of enum @drm_xe_perf_op */
-	__u64 perf_op;
+	/** @observation_type: observation stream type, of enum @drm_xe_observation_type */
+	__u64 observation_type;
+	/** @observation_op: observation stream op, of enum @drm_xe_observation_op */
+	__u64 observation_op;
 	/** @param: Pointer to actual stream params */
 	__u64 param;
 };
 
 /**
- * enum drm_xe_perf_ioctls - Perf fd ioctl's
+ * enum drm_xe_observation_ioctls - Observation stream fd ioctl's
  *
- * Information exchanged between userspace and kernel for perf fd ioctl's
- * is stream type specific
+ * Information exchanged between userspace and kernel for observation fd
+ * ioctl's is stream type specific
  */
-enum drm_xe_perf_ioctls {
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_ENABLE: Enable data capture for a stream */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_ENABLE = _IO('i', 0x0),
+enum drm_xe_observation_ioctls {
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_ENABLE: Enable data capture for an observation stream */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_ENABLE = _IO('i', 0x0),
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_DISABLE: Disable data capture for a stream */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_DISABLE = _IO('i', 0x1),
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_DISABLE: Disable data capture for a observation stream */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_DISABLE = _IO('i', 0x1),
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_CONFIG: Change stream configuration */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_CONFIG = _IO('i', 0x2),
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_CONFIG: Change observation stream configuration */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_CONFIG = _IO('i', 0x2),
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_STATUS: Return stream status */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_STATUS = _IO('i', 0x3),
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_STATUS: Return observation stream status */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_STATUS = _IO('i', 0x3),
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_INFO: Return stream info */
-	DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_INFO = _IO('i', 0x4),
+	/** @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_INFO: Return observation stream info */
+	DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_INFO = _IO('i', 0x4),
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1546,12 +1547,12 @@ enum drm_xe_oa_format_type {
  * Stream params are specified as a chain of @drm_xe_ext_set_property
  * struct's, with @property values from enum @drm_xe_oa_property_id and
  * @drm_xe_user_extension base.name set to @DRM_XE_OA_EXTENSION_SET_PROPERTY.
- * @param field in struct @drm_xe_perf_param points to the first
+ * @param field in struct @drm_xe_observation_param points to the first
  * @drm_xe_ext_set_property struct.
  *
- * Exactly the same mechanism is also used for stream reconfiguration using
- * the @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_CONFIG perf fd ioctl, though only a subset of
- * properties below can be specified for stream reconfiguration.
+ * Exactly the same mechanism is also used for stream reconfiguration using the
+ * @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_CONFIG observation stream fd ioctl, though only a
+ * subset of properties below can be specified for stream reconfiguration.
  */
 enum drm_xe_oa_property_id {
 #define DRM_XE_OA_EXTENSION_SET_PROPERTY	0
@@ -1571,11 +1572,11 @@ enum drm_xe_oa_property_id {
 
 	/**
 	 * @DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET: OA metrics defining contents of OA
-	 * reports, previously added via @DRM_XE_PERF_OP_ADD_CONFIG.
+	 * reports, previously added via @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_ADD_CONFIG.
 	 */
 	DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET,
 
-	/** @DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_FORMAT: Perf counter report format */
+	/** @DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_FORMAT: OA counter report format */
 	DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_FORMAT,
 	/*
 	 * OA_FORMAT's are specified the same way as in PRM/Bspec 52198/60942,
@@ -1596,13 +1597,13 @@ enum drm_xe_oa_property_id {
 
 	/**
 	 * @DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_DISABLED: A value of 1 will open the OA
-	 * stream in a DISABLED state (see @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_ENABLE).
+	 * stream in a DISABLED state (see @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_ENABLE).
 	 */
 	DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_DISABLED,
 
 	/**
 	 * @DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_EXEC_QUEUE_ID: Open the stream for a specific
-	 * @exec_queue_id. Perf queries can be executed on this exec queue.
+	 * @exec_queue_id. OA queries can be executed on this exec queue.
 	 */
 	DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_EXEC_QUEUE_ID,
 
@@ -1622,7 +1623,7 @@ enum drm_xe_oa_property_id {
 /**
  * struct drm_xe_oa_config - OA metric configuration
  *
- * Multiple OA configs can be added using @DRM_XE_PERF_OP_ADD_CONFIG. A
+ * Multiple OA configs can be added using @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_ADD_CONFIG. A
  * particular config can be specified when opening an OA stream using
  * @DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET property.
  */
@@ -1645,8 +1646,9 @@ struct drm_xe_oa_config {
 
 /**
  * struct drm_xe_oa_stream_status - OA stream status returned from
- * @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_STATUS perf fd ioctl. Userspace can call the ioctl to
- * query stream status in response to EIO errno from perf fd read().
+ * @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_STATUS observation stream fd ioctl. Userspace can
+ * call the ioctl to query stream status in response to EIO errno from
+ * observation fd read().
  */
 struct drm_xe_oa_stream_status {
 	/** @extensions: Pointer to the first extension struct, if any */
@@ -1665,7 +1667,7 @@ struct drm_xe_oa_stream_status {
 
 /**
  * struct drm_xe_oa_stream_info - OA stream info returned from
- * @DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_INFO perf fd ioctl
+ * @DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_INFO observation stream fd ioctl
  */
 struct drm_xe_oa_stream_info {
 	/** @extensions: Pointer to the first extension struct, if any */
diff --git a/src/intel/perf/xe/intel_perf.c b/src/intel/perf/xe/intel_perf.c
index dfbe2881413..5d66a4a6d1b 100644
--- a/src/intel/perf/xe/intel_perf.c
+++ b/src/intel/perf/xe/intel_perf.c
@@ -50,18 +50,18 @@ xe_oa_metrics_available(struct intel_perf_config *perf, int fd, bool use_registe
    struct stat sb;
 
    /* The existence of this file implies that this Xe KMD version supports
-    * perf interface.
+    * observation interface.
     */
-   if (stat("/proc/sys/dev/xe/perf_stream_paranoid", &sb) == 0) {
+   if (stat("/proc/sys/dev/xe/observation_paranoid", &sb) == 0) {
       uint64_t paranoid = 1;
 
-      /* Now we need to check if application has privileges to access perf
+      /* Now we need to check if application has privileges to access observation
        * interface.
        *
        * TODO: this approach does not takes into account applications running
        * with CAP_PERFMON privileges.
        */
-      read_file_uint64("/proc/sys/dev/xe/perf_stream_paranoid", &paranoid);
+      read_file_uint64("/proc/sys/dev/xe/observation_paranoid", &paranoid);
       if (paranoid == 0 || geteuid() == 0)
          perf_oa_available = true;
    }
@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ xe_add_config(struct intel_perf_config *perf, int fd,
               const char *guid)
 {
    struct drm_xe_oa_config xe_config = {};
-   struct drm_xe_perf_param perf_param = {
-      .perf_type = DRM_XE_PERF_TYPE_OA,
-      .perf_op = DRM_XE_PERF_OP_ADD_CONFIG,
+   struct drm_xe_observation_param observation_param = {
+      .observation_type = DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_TYPE_OA,
+      .observation_op = DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_ADD_CONFIG,
       .param = (uintptr_t)&xe_config,
    };
    uint32_t *regs;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ xe_add_config(struct intel_perf_config *perf, int fd,
    regs += 2 * config->n_b_counter_regs;
    memcpy(regs, config->flex_regs, config->n_flex_regs * sizeof(uint64_t));
 
-   ret = intel_ioctl(fd, DRM_IOCTL_XE_PERF, &perf_param);
+   ret = intel_ioctl(fd, DRM_IOCTL_XE_OBSERVATION, &observation_param);
    free((void*)(uintptr_t)xe_config.regs_ptr);
    return ret > 0 ? ret : 0;
 }
@@ -110,18 +110,18 @@ xe_add_config(struct intel_perf_config *perf, int fd,
 void
 xe_remove_config(struct intel_perf_config *perf, int fd, uint64_t config_id)
 {
-   struct drm_xe_perf_param perf_param = {
-      .perf_type = DRM_XE_PERF_TYPE_OA,
-      .perf_op = DRM_XE_PERF_OP_REMOVE_CONFIG,
+   struct drm_xe_observation_param observation_param = {
+      .observation_type = DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_TYPE_OA,
+      .observation_op = DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_REMOVE_CONFIG,
       .param = (uintptr_t)&config_id,
    };
 
-   intel_ioctl(fd, DRM_IOCTL_XE_PERF, &perf_param);
+   intel_ioctl(fd, DRM_IOCTL_XE_OBSERVATION, &observation_param);
 }
 
 static void
-perf_prop_set(struct drm_xe_ext_set_property *props, uint32_t *index,
-              enum drm_xe_oa_property_id prop_id, uint64_t value)
+oa_prop_set(struct drm_xe_ext_set_property *props, uint32_t *index,
+            enum drm_xe_oa_property_id prop_id, uint64_t value)
 {
    if (*index > 0)
       props[*index - 1].base.next_extension = (uintptr_t)&props[*index];
@@ -139,25 +139,25 @@ xe_perf_stream_open(struct intel_perf_config *perf_config, int drm_fd,
                     bool hold_preemption, bool enable)
 {
    struct drm_xe_ext_set_property props[DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_NO_PREEMPT + 1] = {};
-   struct drm_xe_perf_param perf_param = {
-      .perf_type = DRM_XE_PERF_TYPE_OA,
-      .perf_op = DRM_XE_PERF_OP_STREAM_OPEN,
+   struct drm_xe_observation_param observation_param = {
+      .observation_type = DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_TYPE_OA,
+      .observation_op = DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_OP_STREAM_OPEN,
       .param = (uintptr_t)&props,
    };
    uint32_t i = 0;
    int fd, flags;
 
    if (exec_id)
-      perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_EXEC_QUEUE_ID, exec_id);
-   perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_DISABLED, !enable);
-   perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_SAMPLE_OA, true);
-   perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET, metrics_set_id);
-   perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_FORMAT, report_format);
-   perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_PERIOD_EXPONENT, period_exponent);
+      oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_EXEC_QUEUE_ID, exec_id);
+   oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_DISABLED, !enable);
+   oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_SAMPLE_OA, true);
+   oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET, metrics_set_id);
+   oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_FORMAT, report_format);
+   oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_PERIOD_EXPONENT, period_exponent);
    if (hold_preemption)
-      perf_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_NO_PREEMPT, hold_preemption);
+      oa_prop_set(props, &i, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_NO_PREEMPT, hold_preemption);
 
-   fd = intel_ioctl(drm_fd, DRM_IOCTL_XE_PERF, &perf_param);
+   fd = intel_ioctl(drm_fd, DRM_IOCTL_XE_OBSERVATION, &observation_param);
    if (fd < 0)
       return fd;
 
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@ xe_perf_stream_open(struct intel_perf_config *perf_config, int drm_fd,
 int
 xe_perf_stream_set_state(int perf_stream_fd, bool enable)
 {
-   unsigned long uapi = enable ? DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_ENABLE : DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_DISABLE;
+   unsigned long uapi = enable ? DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_ENABLE :
+                                 DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_DISABLE;
 
    return intel_ioctl(perf_stream_fd, uapi, 0);
 }
@@ -185,9 +186,9 @@ xe_perf_stream_set_metrics_id(int perf_stream_fd, uint64_t metrics_set_id)
    struct drm_xe_ext_set_property prop = {};
    uint32_t index = 0;
 
-   perf_prop_set(&prop, &index, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET,
+   oa_prop_set(&prop, &index, DRM_XE_OA_PROPERTY_OA_METRIC_SET,
                  metrics_set_id);
-   return intel_ioctl(perf_stream_fd, DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_CONFIG,
+   return intel_ioctl(perf_stream_fd, DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_CONFIG,
                       (void *)(uintptr_t)&prop);
 }
 
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ xe_perf_stream_read_error(int perf_stream_fd, uint8_t *buffer, size_t buffer_len
    struct intel_perf_record_header *header;
    int ret;
 
-   ret = intel_ioctl(perf_stream_fd, DRM_XE_PERF_IOCTL_STATUS, &status);
+   ret = intel_ioctl(perf_stream_fd, DRM_XE_OBSERVATION_IOCTL_STATUS, &status);
    if (ret)
       return -errno;