diff --git a/kernel/perf_event.c b/kernel/perf_event.c
index a962b1962eee..67d9bd70b746 100644
--- a/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -2233,9 +2233,6 @@ find_get_context(struct pmu *pmu, struct task_struct *task, int cpu)
 		if (perf_paranoid_cpu() && !capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
 			return ERR_PTR(-EACCES);
 
-		if (cpu < 0 || cpu >= nr_cpumask_bits)
-			return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
-
 		/*
 		 * We could be clever and allow to attach a event to an
 		 * offline CPU and activate it when the CPU comes up, but
@@ -5541,6 +5538,11 @@ perf_event_alloc(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
 	struct hw_perf_event *hwc;
 	long err;
 
+	if ((unsigned)cpu >= nr_cpu_ids) {
+		if (!task || cpu != -1)
+			return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
+	}
+
 	event = kzalloc(sizeof(*event), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!event)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
@@ -5589,7 +5591,7 @@ perf_event_alloc(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
 
 	if (!overflow_handler && parent_event)
 		overflow_handler = parent_event->overflow_handler;
-	
+
 	event->overflow_handler	= overflow_handler;
 
 	if (attr->disabled)