diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/progress.c b/tools/perf/ui/progress.c
index a0f24c7115c59f891fa894739ef4da157a9e33cf..a9c15804b1f650059e044f9c6ff9a661350b8a5c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/progress.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/progress.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ void ui_progress__update(struct ui_progress *p, u64 adv)
 void ui_progress__init(struct ui_progress *p, u64 total, const char *title)
 {
 	p->curr = 0;
-	p->next = p->step = total / 16;
+	p->next = p->step = total / 16 ?: 1;
 	p->total = total;
 	p->title = title;