diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-eventonoff.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-eventonoff.tc
index 1a9445021bf1e..c5435adfdd932 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-eventonoff.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-eventonoff.tc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # description: event trigger - test event enable/disable trigger
+# flags: instance
 
 do_reset() {
     reset_trigger
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-filter.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-filter.tc
index 514e466e198b5..48849a8d577f7 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-filter.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-filter.tc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # description: event trigger - test trigger filter
+# flags: instance
 
 do_reset() {
     reset_trigger
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist-mod.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist-mod.tc
index 400e98b64948f..b7f86d10b549a 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist-mod.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist-mod.tc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # description: event trigger - test histogram modifiers
+# flags: instance
 
 do_reset() {
     reset_trigger
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist.tc
index a00184cd9c959..fb66f7d9339da 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-hist.tc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # description: event trigger - test histogram trigger
+# flags: instance
 
 do_reset() {
     reset_trigger
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-multihist.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-multihist.tc
index 3478b00ead57b..f9153087dd7cd 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-multihist.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/trigger/trigger-multihist.tc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # description: event trigger - test multiple histogram triggers
+# flags: instance
 
 do_reset() {
     reset_trigger