diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.h b/tools/perf/perf.h
index 806c216a1078..2c010dd6a79d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.h
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <linux/perf_event.h>
 
 extern bool test_attr__enabled;
+void test_attr__ready(void);
 void test_attr__init(void);
 void test_attr__open(struct perf_event_attr *attr, pid_t pid, int cpu,
 		     int fd, int group_fd, unsigned long flags);
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/attr.c b/tools/perf/tests/attr.c
index 08b1d5ce9020..84c0eb598a67 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/attr.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/attr.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #define ENV "PERF_TEST_ATTR"
 
 static char *dir;
+static bool ready;
 
 void test_attr__init(void)
 {
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ static int store_event(struct perf_event_attr *attr, pid_t pid, int cpu,
 	FILE *file;
 	char path[PATH_MAX];
 
+	if (!ready)
+		return 0;
+
 	snprintf(path, PATH_MAX, "%s/event-%d-%llu-%d", dir,
 		 attr->type, attr->config, fd);
 
@@ -144,6 +148,12 @@ void test_attr__open(struct perf_event_attr *attr, pid_t pid, int cpu,
 	errno = errno_saved;
 }
 
+void test_attr__ready(void)
+{
+	if (unlikely(test_attr__enabled) && !ready)
+		ready = true;
+}
+
 static int run_dir(const char *d, const char *perf)
 {
 	char v[] = "-vvvvv";
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index df567e478a0e..6dd069a41ac3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ static int perf_evsel__no_extra_init(struct perf_evsel *evsel __maybe_unused)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void __weak test_attr__ready(void) { }
+
 static void perf_evsel__no_extra_fini(struct perf_evsel *evsel __maybe_unused)
 {
 }
@@ -1572,6 +1574,8 @@ retry_open:
 			pr_debug2("sys_perf_event_open: pid %d  cpu %d  group_fd %d  flags %#lx",
 				  pid, cpus->map[cpu], group_fd, flags);
 
+			test_attr__ready();
+
 			fd = sys_perf_event_open(&evsel->attr, pid, cpus->map[cpu],
 						 group_fd, flags);