diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index df0610e9c61b500284d5efb32761da91a9fa5847..b498eecbe8507ca59f943c7739345e787ab1c099 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -116,24 +116,25 @@ event_t *perf_evlist__read_on_cpu(struct perf_evlist *evlist, int cpu)
 	unsigned int old = md->prev;
 	unsigned char *data = md->base + page_size;
 	event_t *event = NULL;
-	int diff;
-
-	/*
-	 * If we're further behind than half the buffer, there's a chance
-	 * the writer will bite our tail and mess up the samples under us.
-	 *
-	 * If we somehow ended up ahead of the head, we got messed up.
-	 *
-	 * In either case, truncate and restart at head.
-	 */
-	diff = head - old;
-	if (diff > md->mask / 2 || diff < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "WARNING: failed to keep up with mmap data.\n");
 
+	if (evlist->overwrite) {
 		/*
-		 * head points to a known good entry, start there.
+		 * If we're further behind than half the buffer, there's a chance
+		 * the writer will bite our tail and mess up the samples under us.
+		 *
+		 * If we somehow ended up ahead of the head, we got messed up.
+		 *
+		 * In either case, truncate and restart at head.
 		 */
-		old = head;
+		int diff = head - old;
+		if (diff > md->mask / 2 || diff < 0) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "WARNING: failed to keep up with mmap data.\n");
+
+			/*
+			 * head points to a known good entry, start there.
+			 */
+			old = head;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (old != head) {
@@ -166,5 +167,9 @@ event_t *perf_evlist__read_on_cpu(struct perf_evlist *evlist, int cpu)
 	}
 
 	md->prev = old;
+
+	if (!evlist->overwrite)
+		perf_mmap__write_tail(md, old);
+
 	return event;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
index acbe48eac6084879fae254d47d8860c75f9af334..2706ae40c8b38c91f9d8e97674b66439664c0606 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct perf_evlist {
 	int		 nr_entries;
 	int		 nr_fds;
 	int		 mmap_len;
+	bool		 overwrite;
 	event_t		 event_copy;
 	struct perf_mmap *mmap;
 	struct pollfd	 *pollfd;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 76ab553637d671fb89980eb9d5566c6854867934..f98b3e585039bbf926d8ea15fa01ab7b943387fe 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ int perf_evlist__mmap(struct perf_evlist *evlist, struct cpu_map *cpus,
 	    perf_evlist__alloc_pollfd(evlist, cpus->nr, threads->nr) < 0)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	evlist->overwrite = overwrite;
 	evlist->mmap_len = (pages + 1) * page_size;
 	first_evsel = list_entry(evlist->entries.next, struct perf_evsel, node);