diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index 159263d17c2d3..1986d8051bd16 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -51,13 +51,15 @@ struct perf_evlist *perf_evlist__new(struct cpu_map *cpus,
 void perf_evlist__config_attrs(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
 			       struct perf_record_opts *opts)
 {
-	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
+	struct perf_evsel *evsel, *first;
 
 	if (evlist->cpus->map[0] < 0)
 		opts->no_inherit = true;
 
+	first = list_entry(evlist->entries.next, struct perf_evsel, node);
+
 	list_for_each_entry(evsel, &evlist->entries, node) {
-		perf_evsel__config(evsel, opts);
+		perf_evsel__config(evsel, opts, first);
 
 		if (evlist->nr_entries > 1)
 			evsel->attr.sample_type |= PERF_SAMPLE_ID;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index f421f7cbc0d34..0221700075c54 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ struct perf_evsel *perf_evsel__new(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int idx)
 	return evsel;
 }
 
-void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_record_opts *opts)
+void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_record_opts *opts,
+			struct perf_evsel *first)
 {
 	struct perf_event_attr *attr = &evsel->attr;
 	int track = !evsel->idx; /* only the first counter needs these */
@@ -134,7 +135,8 @@ void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_record_opts *opts)
 	attr->mmap = track;
 	attr->comm = track;
 
-	if (!opts->target_pid && !opts->target_tid && !opts->system_wide) {
+	if (!opts->target_pid && !opts->target_tid && !opts->system_wide &&
+	    (!opts->group || evsel == first)) {
 		attr->disabled = 1;
 		attr->enable_on_exec = 1;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
index 326b8e4d50357..3158ca3d69a14 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ void perf_evsel__exit(struct perf_evsel *evsel);
 void perf_evsel__delete(struct perf_evsel *evsel);
 
 void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel,
-			struct perf_record_opts *opts);
+			struct perf_record_opts *opts,
+			struct perf_evsel *first);
 
 int perf_evsel__alloc_fd(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int ncpus, int nthreads);
 int perf_evsel__alloc_id(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int ncpus, int nthreads);