diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/attr/base-record b/tools/perf/tests/attr/base-record
index 37940665f736c7850a61fcaa107a4bdd228a7668..efd0157b9d223f14cd305c09159c5955744b3762 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/attr/base-record
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/attr/base-record
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ size=112
 config=0
 sample_period=*
 sample_type=263
-read_format=0
+read_format=0|4
 disabled=1
 inherit=1
 pinned=0
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 03a72310315fa4593db75370a74576f7813d97a6..e7dbdcc8d46532a320dedc5019034bbe3bda7868 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct record_opts *opts,
 		attr->exclude_user   = 1;
 	}
 
-	if (evsel->own_cpus)
+	if (evsel->own_cpus || evsel->unit)
 		evsel->attr.read_format |= PERF_FORMAT_ID;
 
 	/*