diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index 1548237b6558d9105dcc07ae8094fb7f06dcc2b4..82d9f9bb897533e931fb5bc64e2e5865344037c7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -1131,8 +1131,10 @@ bool perf_evlist__valid_read_format(struct evlist *evlist)
 	u64 sample_type = first->core.attr.sample_type;
 
 	evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, pos) {
-		if (read_format != pos->core.attr.read_format)
-			return false;
+		if (read_format != pos->core.attr.read_format) {
+			pr_debug("Read format differs %#" PRIx64 " vs %#" PRIx64 "\n",
+				 read_format, (u64)pos->core.attr.read_format);
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* PERF_SAMPLE_READ imples PERF_FORMAT_ID. */