diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index 1b96636df01ed..7e6cc8bdf0613 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -272,11 +272,8 @@ static void evlist__check_cpu_maps(struct evlist *evlist)
 			pr_warning("     %s: %s\n", evsel->name, buf);
 		}
 
-		for_each_group_evsel(pos, leader) {
-			evsel__set_leader(pos, pos);
-			pos->core.nr_members = 0;
-		}
-		evsel->core.leader->nr_members = 0;
+		for_each_group_evsel(pos, leader)
+			evsel__remove_from_group(pos, leader);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index 91bbe4c069ebe..7f9f588e88c63 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -1747,11 +1747,7 @@ struct evsel *evlist__reset_weak_group(struct evlist *evsel_list, struct evsel *
 			 * them. Some events, like Intel topdown, require being
 			 * in a group and so keep these in the group.
 			 */
-			if (!evsel__must_be_in_group(c2) && c2 != leader) {
-				evsel__set_leader(c2, c2);
-				c2->core.nr_members = 0;
-				leader->core.nr_members--;
-			}
+			evsel__remove_from_group(c2, leader);
 
 			/*
 			 * Set this for all former members of the group
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 1cf967d689aaf..ef169ad152364 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -3109,7 +3109,16 @@ bool __weak arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(const struct evsel *evsel __maybe_unuse
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool evsel__must_be_in_group(const struct evsel *evsel)
+/*
+ * Remove an event from a given group (leader).
+ * Some events, e.g., perf metrics Topdown events,
+ * must always be grouped. Ignore the events.
+ */
+void evsel__remove_from_group(struct evsel *evsel, struct evsel *leader)
 {
-	return arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(evsel);
+	if (!arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(evsel) && evsel != leader) {
+		evsel__set_leader(evsel, evsel);
+		evsel->core.nr_members = 0;
+		leader->core.nr_members--;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
index 84755fabc5443..73ea48e940796 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ bool evsel__has_leader(struct evsel *evsel, struct evsel *leader);
 bool evsel__is_leader(struct evsel *evsel);
 void evsel__set_leader(struct evsel *evsel, struct evsel *leader);
 int evsel__source_count(const struct evsel *evsel);
-bool evsel__must_be_in_group(const struct evsel *evsel);
+void evsel__remove_from_group(struct evsel *evsel, struct evsel *leader);
 
 bool arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(const struct evsel *evsel);