diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
index 55ea17c5ff02a..099ce3ebf67ce 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-kvm.c
@@ -2147,6 +2147,7 @@ int cmd_kvm(int argc, const char **argv)
 						"buildid-list", "stat", NULL };
 	const char *kvm_usage[] = { NULL, NULL };
 
+	exclude_GH_default = true;
 	perf_host  = 0;
 	perf_guest = 1;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
index 78e999f03d2d7..727683f249f66 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ static int test__group2(struct evlist *evlist)
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong leader", evsel__is_group_leader(evsel));
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ static int test__group2(struct evlist *evlist)
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 			TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 			if (evsel__has_leader(evsel, leader))
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ static int test__group3(struct evlist *evlist __maybe_unused)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong leader", evsel__is_group_leader(evsel));
@@ -1222,7 +1222,7 @@ static int test__group5(struct evlist *evlist __maybe_unused)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong leader", evsel__is_group_leader(evsel));
@@ -1437,7 +1437,7 @@ static int test__leader_sample1(struct evlist *evlist)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong group name", !evsel->group_name);
@@ -1453,7 +1453,7 @@ static int test__leader_sample1(struct evlist *evlist)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong leader", evsel__has_leader(evsel, leader));
@@ -1468,7 +1468,7 @@ static int test__leader_sample1(struct evlist *evlist)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong group name", !evsel->group_name);
@@ -1497,7 +1497,7 @@ static int test__leader_sample2(struct evlist *evlist __maybe_unused)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong group name", !evsel->group_name);
@@ -1513,7 +1513,7 @@ static int test__leader_sample2(struct evlist *evlist __maybe_unused)
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_user", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_user);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_kernel", evsel->core.attr.exclude_kernel);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude_hv", evsel->core.attr.exclude_hv);
-		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
+		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude guest", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_guest);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong exclude host", !evsel->core.attr.exclude_host);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong precise_ip", !evsel->core.attr.precise_ip);
 		TEST_ASSERT_VAL("wrong group name", !evsel->group_name);
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/attr/test-record-dummy-C0 b/tools/perf/tests/shell/attr/test-record-dummy-C0
index 3050298bd6140..91499405fff4d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/attr/test-record-dummy-C0
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/attr/test-record-dummy-C0
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ precise_ip=0
 mmap_data=0
 sample_id_all=1
 exclude_host=0
-exclude_guest=1
+exclude_guest=0
 exclude_callchain_kernel=0
 exclude_callchain_user=0
 mmap2=1
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 4507ae68198bd..687125570f563 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1740,7 +1740,7 @@ static int parse_events__modifier_list(struct parse_events_state *parse_state,
 		if (mod.user) {
 			if (!exclude)
 				exclude = eu = ek = eh = 1;
-			if (!exclude_GH && !perf_guest)
+			if (!exclude_GH && !perf_guest && exclude_GH_default)
 				eG = 1;
 			eu = 0;
 		}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/util.c b/tools/perf/util/util.c
index 9d55a13787ce3..280c86d61d8a7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/util.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/util.c
@@ -78,17 +78,23 @@ bool sysctl__nmi_watchdog_enabled(void)
 
 bool test_attr__enabled;
 
+bool exclude_GH_default;
+
 bool perf_host  = true;
 bool perf_guest = false;
 
 void event_attr_init(struct perf_event_attr *attr)
 {
+	/* to capture ABI version */
+	attr->size = sizeof(*attr);
+
+	if (!exclude_GH_default)
+		return;
+
 	if (!perf_host)
 		attr->exclude_host  = 1;
 	if (!perf_guest)
 		attr->exclude_guest = 1;
-	/* to capture ABI version */
-	attr->size = sizeof(*attr);
 }
 
 int mkdir_p(char *path, mode_t mode)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/util.h b/tools/perf/util/util.h
index 14f2c70906be8..2359362885eaf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/util.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/util.h
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ extern const char perf_more_info_string[];
 
 extern const char *input_name;
 
+/* This will control if perf_{host,guest} will set attr.exclude_{host,guest}. */
+extern bool exclude_GH_default;
+
 extern bool perf_host;
 extern bool perf_guest;