diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 4bb89373eb52893e7a3c7206da85af1e72afdfc3..0dccdb89572cdb455724a6a48a86d96821fc53e2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -271,12 +271,17 @@ struct perf_evsel *perf_evsel__new_idx(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int idx)
 	return evsel;
 }
 
+static bool perf_event_can_profile_kernel(void)
+{
+	return geteuid() == 0 || perf_event_paranoid() == -1;
+}
+
 struct perf_evsel *perf_evsel__new_cycles(bool precise)
 {
 	struct perf_event_attr attr = {
 		.type	= PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE,
 		.config	= PERF_COUNT_HW_CPU_CYCLES,
-		.exclude_kernel	= geteuid() != 0,
+		.exclude_kernel	= !perf_event_can_profile_kernel(),
 	};
 	struct perf_evsel *evsel;