diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 0b52e08e558e3..94d62a92f1a1f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -3950,6 +3950,9 @@ static int trace__run(struct trace *trace, int argc, const char **argv)
 		evlist__add(evlist, pgfault_min);
 	}
 
+	/* Enable ignoring missing threads when -u/-p option is defined. */
+	trace->opts.ignore_missing_thread = trace->opts.target.uid != UINT_MAX || trace->opts.target.pid;
+
 	if (trace->sched &&
 	    evlist__add_newtp(evlist, "sched", "sched_stat_runtime", trace__sched_stat_runtime))
 		goto out_error_sched_stat_runtime;