diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index f691f9ee30ea..8dc70dd045f3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -2011,11 +2011,6 @@ static int evsel__open_cpu(struct evsel *evsel, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
 
 			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);
-			}
-
 			if (fd < 0) {
 				err = -errno;
 
@@ -2024,6 +2019,11 @@ static int evsel__open_cpu(struct evsel *evsel, struct perf_cpu_map *cpus,
 				goto try_fallback;
 			}
 
+			if (unlikely(test_attr__enabled)) {
+				test_attr__open(&evsel->core.attr, pid, cpus->map[cpu],
+						fd, group_fd, evsel->open_flags);
+			}
+
 			pr_debug2_peo(" = %d\n", fd);
 
 			if (evsel->bpf_fd >= 0) {