diff --git a/drivers/perf/riscv_pmu.c b/drivers/perf/riscv_pmu.c
index c78a6fd6c57f..b4efdddb2ad9 100644
--- a/drivers/perf/riscv_pmu.c
+++ b/drivers/perf/riscv_pmu.c
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ static int riscv_pmu_event_init(struct perf_event *event)
 	u64 event_config = 0;
 	uint64_t cmask;
 
+	/* driver does not support branch stack sampling */
+	if (has_branch_stack(event))
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
 	hwc->flags = 0;
 	mapped_event = rvpmu->event_map(event, &event_config);
 	if (mapped_event < 0) {