diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 21154dabc5fa7d72b3801f1b0244dc790842bcb2..8606175fe1e80b1c25e788f4b583e16bbd3e7e2f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -589,10 +589,10 @@ void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct record_opts *opts)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * We default some events to a 1 default interval. But keep
+	 * We default some events to have a default interval. But keep
 	 * it a weak assumption overridable by the user.
 	 */
-	if (!attr->sample_period || (opts->user_freq != UINT_MAX &&
+	if (!attr->sample_period || (opts->user_freq != UINT_MAX ||
 				     opts->user_interval != ULLONG_MAX)) {
 		if (opts->freq) {
 			perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, PERIOD);