diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index d0408320c4347711acc2903669d6447f3a56b984..db3c85bb4fd0bf0d04c99324acd93314f69e597f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1446,7 +1446,9 @@ int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 	bool use_uncore_alias;
 	LIST_HEAD(config_terms);
 
-	if (verbose > 1) {
+	pmu = parse_state->fake_pmu ?: perf_pmu__find(name);
+
+	if (verbose > 1 && !(pmu && pmu->selectable)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Attempting to add event pmu '%s' with '",
 			name);
 		if (head_config) {
@@ -1459,7 +1461,6 @@ int parse_events_add_pmu(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 		fprintf(stderr, "' that may result in non-fatal errors\n");
 	}
 
-	pmu = parse_state->fake_pmu ?: perf_pmu__find(name);
 	if (!pmu) {
 		char *err_str;