diff --git a/tools/perf/util/unwind.c b/tools/perf/util/unwind.c
index 742f23bf35ff7fabaae020100ebe3d359191a3da..bff3209305e18fcaa525b0cfc8eb9e6378419400 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/unwind.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/unwind.c
@@ -595,5 +595,5 @@ int unwind__get_entries(unwind_entry_cb_t cb, void *arg,
 	if (ret)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	return get_entries(&ui, cb, arg, max_stack);
+	return --max_stack > 0 ? get_entries(&ui, cb, arg, max_stack) : 0;
 }