diff --git a/include/linux/perf_event.h b/include/linux/perf_event.h
index 7cd7b356447db..7098ebbb3b3a1 100644
--- a/include/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/include/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ struct perf_mmap_data {
 	local_t				head;		/* write position    */
 	local_t				nest;		/* nested writers    */
 	local_t				events;		/* event limit       */
-	local_t				wakeup;		/* needs a wakeup    */
+	local_t				wakeup;		/* wakeup stamp      */
 	local_t				lost;		/* nr records lost   */
 
 	long				watermark;	/* wakeup watermark  */
diff --git a/kernel/perf_event.c b/kernel/perf_event.c
index 7a932526946ff..1531e0b409a5c 100644
--- a/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -3056,8 +3056,8 @@ int perf_output_begin(struct perf_output_handle *handle,
 	handle->offset	= offset;
 	handle->head	= head;
 
-	if (head - tail > data->watermark)
-		local_inc(&data->wakeup);
+	if (head - local_read(&data->wakeup) > data->watermark)
+		local_add(data->watermark, &data->wakeup);
 
 	if (have_lost) {
 		lost_event.header.type = PERF_RECORD_LOST;