diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
index ca577658e8902aacd51413d507f4a848344b29d7..7b5e15cc6b7174a27f8c48d3122bef218b128b4b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cs-etm.c
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ static int cs_etm__flush(struct cs_etm_queue *etmq)
 	}
 
 swap_packet:
-	if (etmq->etm->synth_opts.last_branch) {
+	if (etm->sample_branches || etm->synth_opts.last_branch) {
 		/*
 		 * Swap PACKET with PREV_PACKET: PACKET becomes PREV_PACKET for
 		 * the next incoming packet.