diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/perf_event.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/perf_event.c
index 3e43538f6b7268e1b695d5248fb0d3ca0f40f5c4..dde06c0f97f3ee5a3d0fdc9a6b1c517fe3f98045 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -1063,6 +1063,14 @@ static int __armv8_pmuv3_map_event(struct perf_event *event,
 				       &armv8_pmuv3_perf_cache_map,
 				       ARMV8_PMU_EVTYPE_EVENT);
 
+	/*
+	 * CHAIN events only work when paired with an adjacent counter, and it
+	 * never makes sense for a user to open one in isolation, as they'll be
+	 * rotated arbitrarily.
+	 */
+	if (hw_event_id == ARMV8_PMUV3_PERFCTR_CHAIN)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (armv8pmu_event_is_64bit(event))
 		event->hw.flags |= ARMPMU_EVT_64BIT;