diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 26bdeecc0452f43c9ab1dcbf1041dfe3be9d4d09..4cd2cf93f7263e97307b69ec65d0e5c752be51fa 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -1925,7 +1925,8 @@ int perf_evsel__open(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct cpu_map *cpus,
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.group_read &&
 		    evsel->attr.inherit &&
-		   (evsel->attr.read_format & PERF_FORMAT_GROUP)) {
+		   (evsel->attr.read_format & PERF_FORMAT_GROUP) &&
+		   perf_evsel__is_group_leader(evsel)) {
 		perf_missing_features.group_read = true;
 		pr_debug2("switching off group read\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;