diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
index eb1a5941912b218b00553530b20dfc479175e730..409ceaf3b9b95b41adffe181156c33e93504023b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
@@ -72,12 +72,17 @@ static int perf_event__repipe_attr(struct perf_tool *tool,
 				   union perf_event *event,
 				   struct perf_evlist **pevlist)
 {
+	struct perf_inject *inject = container_of(tool, struct perf_inject,
+						  tool);
 	int ret;
 
 	ret = perf_event__process_attr(tool, event, pevlist);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	if (!inject->pipe_output)
+		return 0;
+
 	return perf_event__repipe_synth(tool, event);
 }