diff --git a/include/linux/perf_event.h b/include/linux/perf_event.h
index 529c41fa73c8..6f7459f72dfd 100644
--- a/include/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/include/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -510,9 +510,12 @@ typedef void (*perf_overflow_handler_t)(struct perf_event *,
 					struct perf_sample_data *,
 					struct pt_regs *regs);
 
-enum perf_group_flag {
-	PERF_GROUP_SOFTWARE		= 0x1,
-};
+/*
+ * Event capabilities. For event_caps and groups caps.
+ *
+ * PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE: Is a software event.
+ */
+#define PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE		BIT(0)
 
 #define SWEVENT_HLIST_BITS		8
 #define SWEVENT_HLIST_SIZE		(1 << SWEVENT_HLIST_BITS)
@@ -568,7 +571,12 @@ struct perf_event {
 	struct hlist_node		hlist_entry;
 	struct list_head		active_entry;
 	int				nr_siblings;
-	int				group_flags;
+
+	/* Not serialized. Only written during event initialization. */
+	int				event_caps;
+	/* The cumulative AND of all event_caps for events in this group. */
+	int				group_caps;
+
 	struct perf_event		*group_leader;
 	struct pmu			*pmu;
 	void				*pmu_private;
@@ -988,7 +996,7 @@ static inline bool is_sampling_event(struct perf_event *event)
  */
 static inline int is_software_event(struct perf_event *event)
 {
-	return event->pmu->task_ctx_nr == perf_sw_context;
+	return event->event_caps & PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE;
 }
 
 extern struct static_key perf_swevent_enabled[PERF_COUNT_SW_MAX];
diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 849919c2f3d7..8c42a5ae9030 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -1475,8 +1475,7 @@ list_add_event(struct perf_event *event, struct perf_event_context *ctx)
 	if (event->group_leader == event) {
 		struct list_head *list;
 
-		if (is_software_event(event))
-			event->group_flags |= PERF_GROUP_SOFTWARE;
+		event->group_caps = event->event_caps;
 
 		list = ctx_group_list(event, ctx);
 		list_add_tail(&event->group_entry, list);
@@ -1630,9 +1629,7 @@ static void perf_group_attach(struct perf_event *event)
 
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(group_leader->ctx != event->ctx);
 
-	if (group_leader->group_flags & PERF_GROUP_SOFTWARE &&
-			!is_software_event(event))
-		group_leader->group_flags &= ~PERF_GROUP_SOFTWARE;
+	group_leader->group_caps &= event->event_caps;
 
 	list_add_tail(&event->group_entry, &group_leader->sibling_list);
 	group_leader->nr_siblings++;
@@ -1723,7 +1720,7 @@ static void perf_group_detach(struct perf_event *event)
 		sibling->group_leader = sibling;
 
 		/* Inherit group flags from the previous leader */
-		sibling->group_flags = event->group_flags;
+		sibling->group_caps = event->group_caps;
 
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(sibling->ctx != event->ctx);
 	}
@@ -2149,7 +2146,7 @@ static int group_can_go_on(struct perf_event *event,
 	/*
 	 * Groups consisting entirely of software events can always go on.
 	 */
-	if (event->group_flags & PERF_GROUP_SOFTWARE)
+	if (event->group_caps & PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE)
 		return 1;
 	/*
 	 * If an exclusive group is already on, no other hardware
@@ -9490,6 +9487,9 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 			goto err_alloc;
 	}
 
+	if (pmu->task_ctx_nr == perf_sw_context)
+		event->event_caps |= PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE;
+
 	if (group_leader &&
 	    (is_software_event(event) != is_software_event(group_leader))) {
 		if (is_software_event(event)) {
@@ -9503,7 +9503,7 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 			 */
 			pmu = group_leader->pmu;
 		} else if (is_software_event(group_leader) &&
-			   (group_leader->group_flags & PERF_GROUP_SOFTWARE)) {
+			   (group_leader->group_caps & PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE)) {
 			/*
 			 * In case the group is a pure software group, and we
 			 * try to add a hardware event, move the whole group to