diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
index 1ff01f03d2ad..caf05863a54e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-sched.c
@@ -2645,7 +2645,9 @@ static bool timehist_skip_sample(struct perf_sched *sched,
 		else if (evsel__name_is(sample->evsel, "sched:sched_switch"))
 			prio = perf_sample__intval(sample, "prev_prio");
 
-		if (prio != -1 && !test_bit(prio, sched->prio_bitmap)) {
+		/* negative prio means no info; out-of-range prio can't match the filter */
+		if (prio >= 0 &&
+		    (prio >= MAX_PRIO || !test_bit(prio, sched->prio_bitmap))) {
 			rc = true;
 			sched->skipped_samples++;
 		}