diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 8dc70dd045f3..a576d985a7a7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -2009,8 +2009,6 @@ static int evsel__open_cpu(struct evsel *evsel, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
 
 			FD(evsel, cpu, thread) = fd;
 
-			bpf_counter__install_pe(evsel, cpu, fd);
-
 			if (fd < 0) {
 				err = -errno;
 
@@ -2019,6 +2017,8 @@ static int evsel__open_cpu(struct evsel *evsel, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
 				goto try_fallback;
 			}
 
+			bpf_counter__install_pe(evsel, cpu, fd);
+
 			if (unlikely(test_attr__enabled)) {
 				test_attr__open(&evsel->core.attr, pid, cpus->map[cpu],
 						fd, group_fd, evsel->open_flags);