diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 08ed24b66ffe4b21027224f2bd65a064e782e235..d6c10e8ff6b6d532015055156c83ae573f42214d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ static void perf_record__open(struct perf_record *rec)
 
 		if (opts->group && pos != first)
 			group_fd = first->fd;
+fallback_missing_features:
+		if (opts->exclude_guest_missing)
+			attr->exclude_guest = attr->exclude_host = 0;
 retry_sample_id:
 		attr->sample_id_all = opts->sample_id_all_avail ? 1 : 0;
 try_again:
@@ -218,15 +221,23 @@ static void perf_record__open(struct perf_record *rec)
 			} else if (err ==  ENODEV && opts->cpu_list) {
 				die("No such device - did you specify"
 					" an out-of-range profile CPU?\n");
-			} else if (err == EINVAL && opts->sample_id_all_avail) {
-				/*
-				 * Old kernel, no attr->sample_id_type_all field
-				 */
-				opts->sample_id_all_avail = false;
-				if (!opts->sample_time && !opts->raw_samples && !time_needed)
-					attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_TIME;
-
-				goto retry_sample_id;
+			} else if (err == EINVAL) {
+				if (!opts->exclude_guest_missing &&
+				    (attr->exclude_guest || attr->exclude_host)) {
+					pr_debug("Old kernel, cannot exclude "
+						 "guest or host samples.\n");
+					opts->exclude_guest_missing = true;
+					goto fallback_missing_features;
+				} else if (opts->sample_id_all_avail) {
+					/*
+					 * Old kernel, no attr->sample_id_type_all field
+					 */
+					opts->sample_id_all_avail = false;
+					if (!opts->sample_time && !opts->raw_samples && !time_needed)
+						attr->sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_TIME;
+
+					goto retry_sample_id;
+				}
 			}
 
 			/*
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 5a88c0dadf1554ba5ee453311a21a4410695949f..02e11ff5a72906cbc1ea5b4a7b3ad634a05b27de 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -872,6 +872,9 @@ static void perf_top__start_counters(struct perf_top *top)
 		attr->mmap = 1;
 		attr->comm = 1;
 		attr->inherit = top->inherit;
+fallback_missing_features:
+		if (top->exclude_guest_missing)
+			attr->exclude_guest = attr->exclude_host = 0;
 retry_sample_id:
 		attr->sample_id_all = top->sample_id_all_avail ? 1 : 0;
 try_again:
@@ -883,12 +886,20 @@ static void perf_top__start_counters(struct perf_top *top)
 			if (err == EPERM || err == EACCES) {
 				ui__error_paranoid();
 				goto out_err;
-			} else if (err == EINVAL && top->sample_id_all_avail) {
-				/*
-				 * Old kernel, no attr->sample_id_type_all field
-				 */
-				top->sample_id_all_avail = false;
-				goto retry_sample_id;
+			} else if (err == EINVAL) {
+				if (!top->exclude_guest_missing &&
+				    (attr->exclude_guest || attr->exclude_host)) {
+					pr_debug("Old kernel, cannot exclude "
+						 "guest or host samples.\n");
+					top->exclude_guest_missing = true;
+					goto fallback_missing_features;
+				} else if (top->sample_id_all_avail) {
+					/*
+					 * Old kernel, no attr->sample_id_type_all field
+					 */
+					top->sample_id_all_avail = false;
+					goto retry_sample_id;
+				}
 			}
 			/*
 			 * If it's cycles then fall back to hrtimer
diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.h b/tools/perf/perf.h
index 03a045618148ec08a3d3f2de9aeb50081eae1486..8b9c43635f4dfabe52545f5d8d1605f18e17cbf0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.h
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.h
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ struct perf_record_opts {
 	bool	     sample_address;
 	bool	     sample_time;
 	bool	     sample_id_all_avail;
+	bool	     exclude_guest_missing;
 	bool	     system_wide;
 	bool	     period;
 	unsigned int freq;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/top.h b/tools/perf/util/top.h
index 49eb8481f19fd5988cc88c7864b01c41c5716d77..7dea8912aa97225480d06e9d1cb984e11c74341a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/top.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/top.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ struct perf_top {
 	bool		   inherit;
 	bool		   group;
 	bool		   sample_id_all_avail;
+	bool		   exclude_guest_missing;
 	bool		   dump_symtab;
 	const char	   *cpu_list;
 	struct hist_entry  *sym_filter_entry;